But You Cannot Accept It
by 14Cookiesinajar
Summary: "let's stop pretending for a moment that you're actually human." Sans said dangerously. "even if i don't remember, i know what you are. you... human? heh. no, kid, you... you are a demon. those red eyes from my nightmares. your twisted smile. you're a freak. a freak and a demon." So yeah. He'll hold 'em accountable. "just this once." Just this once they won't be above consequences.
1. Frisk

_"FRISK!"_

 _[RE-]_

 _But they refused._

 _"kid! **please** , no!"_

 _The world tore away violently with a flash of red-_

 **[RESET]**

 _No_.

Sans jolted awake, taking in a deep breath as if he were coming up from air. His Soul was pounding violently against his ribcage and his mind alert as he lay tense in his bed and stared wide-socket at the ceiling.

The world had just Reset

(It was always a Reset)

But something had gone wrong! Something was off! Sans could feel it. He was afraid and shaking. But he couldn't remember. He couldn't. But it felt important. He had to remember. He had to! For some reason.

Because he was afraid and shaking and something was wrong and he had to remember.

If he just took a moment to-

 **[RESET]**

Sans jolted awake, taking in a deep breath as-

[RESET]

Sans jolted awake,-

[RESET]

Sans-

[RESET]

S-

[RESET] [RESET][RESET][RESET][RESET] **[RESET] _[RESET]_**

Sans moaned from his place on his bed, covering his eye sockets with his hands.

What the hell- What in actual _hell_ had that been?!

His head was spinning. Everything was spinning and the world wobbling on its axis.

That had been a Reset, right? But like... No. No, he had no words to describe that. Whoever it was that had control of everything had really done a number this time. The world felt as if it was actually, physically spiraling out around him. Time felt like it was still trying to gather itself back together after a forceful shock.

Needless to say, moving felt like a bad idea even more than it normally did.

Sans kept his hands against his eye sockets as he breathed in and out as evenly as possible. Trying to calm himself down.

But it was pointless because the fear was already building up inside of him...

Something had gone wrong, hadn't it? Somehow... Sans knew that.

And because of that, he could feel it. Somehow. Someway... they were all in for a really bad time.

And slowly it was seeping into him. The despair. The helplessness. A bit heavier than usual even.

Something had gone wrong...

Nothing good would come of this. Only bad times.

...

...

..

Just...

Not as bad a time as Sans would have thought...

Sans was watching the anomaly from behind the trees as they continued to travel towards Snowdin, his gaze firm and calculating.

Sans had known it was them from the moment he had first seen them. The tearing magic had raced through him, begging him to Act, but his promise holding him back. A promise and his own helplessness holding Sans back...

But as he continued to watch them, it was almost too much to bear. Because he had no clue what to make of all of this. Of _them_.

What the hell? What the actual hell was going on? Watching them, Sans still had no answers.

Only more questions.

Because when they had their back turned on him, Sans could feel a strange longing and a pain in his chest. But the moment they turned. The moment he caught their red eyes for even a moment (too long of a moment), he felt sick and the magic would surge again, begging for him to Fight.

Act. Fight. Act. Something. Anything.

But what could he do?

What could he do but watch...?

He could not understand his own magic's responses.

Only watch.

And watch he did, relieved beyond words that they Spared Papyrus.

(Or at the very least had ignored him completely, almost as if he wasn't even there.)

(And Sans suspected that was a good thing)

Because they weren't dust free by any means as they stormed through the Underground.

Not dust free.

But not consumed by it.

Almost as if they weren't sure what to be.

And that was it, wasn't it? The most confusing part of all. How they seemed so... aimless.

(Going through the motions)

They were a mixed bag of contradictions.

And, as Sans watched The Anomaly watching Undyne struggle in her armor to continue after them. As Sans watched them pour the cup of water in their hands on the captain's face, Sans once again had no answers. None.

Out of all the people Sans had suspected them to kill.

Out of all the people Sans hadn't suspected them to put the effort into Sparing.

But Undyne was springing back to life, her face torn and confused the same as Sans felt on the inside. Undyne was walking away. The Anomaly was alone.

But off.

So off.

At all times.

Sans had no other way to describe it.

Off.

Aimless and off.

Their emotions ranged from quick bouts of pure rage, barely unable to contain themselves as the red eyes blazed. And at other times, they were blank and hardly looking like they could feel anything at all. And then there were the times they smiled brightly but it was all a lie. But a few times... Shaking. On the verge of breaking.

Sans had seen them muttering to themself too though he could never hear the worlds. But the tone. Almost like they were begging. Like they were bartering with someone unseen.

( _Please._ )

"Please..."

Sans perked up, realizing that they were talking to themself again even then, sounding as if they were about to burst into tears as Undyne disappeared the other way.

Their teeth grit together and their bangs covered their face in shadow as they snarled, their fists curling tight. Their entire stance had changed in an instant.

 **" _Fine_."** Their voice came out darkly and Sans jumped a bit in surprise, **"Be that way."**

Sans' magic was racing. What were they-

 **[RESET]**

Hate. Anger. **DETERMINATION.** **_LOVE_**. _..._

The creature's attacks never faltered. And honestly, that was one of the most unsettling things about this entire thing.

First there was the smile; twisted and wild, and just like his own it never faded.

Then, there were the red eyes, eagerly looking for the next opportunity to try and end his life.

And finally, the horrible spring to its step despite having died nearly twenty-something times...

It was still at it like it was go one.

"i know you didn't answer me before, but..." Sans began as it continued the battle, the eyes unflinching as he spoke. He knew it was futile, but he went through his speech anyways. "somewhere in there. i can feel it. there's a glimmer of a good person inside of you. the memory of someone who once wanted to do the right thing. someone who, in another time, might have been... a friend?"

It gave out a laugh from across from him, but it's not the creature's typical laugh though, Sans notices. It's not the one of his nightmares. It's genuine. Almost hurt maybe.

"c'mon buddy. do you remember me? please, if you're listening-"

 **"You _idiot_."** It growled. Its amusement fell away and its face darkened. Sans paused. He'd never heard the creature talk before. And it's not how he pictured to be honest. There was no real taunt to the voice. No sickening sweet sing-song. It was low and serious. **"Do you really think we'd be here again if they were?"**

Sans' smile wavered a bit as it attacked and he dodged.

"Don't worry, Comedian." _There's_ the sing-song voice he'd imagined. "I won't let all of this go to waste." He was forced to dodge once again as it swung its knife towards him, a shout echoing throughout the hall.

"you know this might sound strange, but before all this i was secretly hoping we could be friends."

It laughed again; its eyes closing briefly as it let it out. The laugh was still genuine, but it had returned to being borderline hysterical, as if the creature knew an inside joke he didn't.

Man, this was easier when all it did was smile quietly with the hateful, red eyes burning into him.

But Sans had to convince it to quit, and he had thought appealing to whatever sympathies it might hold was the best option, but now he doubted the creature even had any. That it was anything other than a demon in human's clothing. But he kept trying. Until finally it really was apparent.

"yeah, you're the type of person who won't EVER be happy." He snapped and it swung the knife.

"Soorry." It called. "It's nothing personal. It's just that I only want one thing. And you can't help with it." It tried to get the knife into him again. "Except by dying!"

"heh." He avoided the attack easily, but he was getting tired. "sorry, bud, i don't feel inclined to help you out."

 **"You should."** It snapped, in actual anger. Damn this thing really was freakish.

"you'll keep consuming timelines over and over." He countered. "until... well-"

 **"Until I get what I want!"** It shouted.

"man you _really_ need to learn how to QUIT." He said. "and i guess today is the day!"

"Getting tired, Sans?" It cooed. He was sweating and a sick sensation was where his stomach would be.

"actually, yeah." He said. "and if you keep pushing me... then i'll be forced to use my special attack."

"I'm terrified." The creature assured dryly.

"i'm just saying that now would be a good time to die." Its laughter made him want to shiver.

"I agree." It said as it tried to hit him.

"okay.. don't say i didn't warn ya." Sans called. "here... goes nothin'." The creature stepped back and lowered the knife in its left hand, smiling at Sans knowingly as he continued to struggle with breathing. He laughed weakly. "yep. that's right. literally nothing. and it's not going to be anything either."

The creature's smile widened.

"ya get it?"

It did.

It was plain on the creature's face that it got it. That it had expected it.

(That it already knew how all of this ended)

The creature had gotten this far before it seemed.

But oh well...

Just meant Sans had gotten it to try again somehow.

(but why didn't that feel true?)

"i know i can't beat you." Sans acknowledged. "one of your turns... you're just gonna kill me."

The creature's smile twisted and it seemed to lean in closer. Like a predator staring down its prey; leering at him.

"so, uh, i've decided... it's not gonna BE your turn. ever. i'm- hey!"

Sans dragged the creature's Soul as it tried to Fight anyway. Sans forced it back into its place and it just smiled at him. Sans was sweating, his Soul filled with actual terror.

And several minutes later, he was dead.

But he didn't stay that way.

Sans could tell something was wrong the moment it stepped forward to meet him. It was visibly upset.

Which was great!

Sans was going his job... but... he felt like... in the pit of his not-stomach he knew... He'd died. It'd killed him.

But it was upset. _Super_ upset. Like... actual red face to match the red eyes. And that was _super_ unsettling.

It was still smiling.

And whatever had upset it did nothing to deter its movements through Sans' attacks. If anything, it added to it. The creature was forceful, only letting out quick screams and grunts out as it moved.

Sans went through his speech, and it seemed to hear none of it.

(And if it did, Sans only seemed to be making everything worse).

Sans was getting tired and out of breath.

"all right. that's it. it's time for my special attack, are you ready? here goes nothin'."

The creature was pacing. Eying him gravely; a wild animal eyeing its prey that was just out of reach, ready to get at him but knowing it couldn't. The moment it stepped forward the Soul would be Blue and forced back into place.

But eventually, the creature stepped forward regardless of consequences.

And Sans did just that.

Dragged it back, his brow furrowing even as he continued to smile.

(Always to smile)

As **_it_** continued to smile.

(could you even call it a smile?)

Neither of them seemed to actually be happy.

"you'll get bored here. if you haven't gotten bored already, i mean. and then, you'll finally quit." Sans told the creature, its smile twisted even further and it gave a small shake of its head.

Telling him without saying anything that it was futile.

"i know your type." Sans acknowledged. "you're, uh, very determined, aren't you?"

He was talking through gritted teeth, and the creature was stepping forward again.

"you'll never give up, even if there's, uh... absolutely NO benefit to persevering whatsoever."

Sans was growing angrier.

It seemed to be growing even more determined.

"if i can make that clear. no matter what, you'll just keep going. not out of any desire for good or evil... but just because you think you can. and because you _can_... you _have to-_ "

 **"You don't know anything!"** The creature snapped, it's anger returning. Sans flinched even as he dragged the creature back into place. He was surprised that, of all things, that had gotten a response out of it.

Okay then...

"but now, you've reached the end." He told it. "there is nothing left for you now." Its smile was a fierce snarl. He had hit something. "so, uh, in my personal opinion... the most "determined" thing you can do here? is to, uh, completely give-"

 **"Shut up!"** It demanded, pointing the knife and trying to attack. " **JUST SHUT UP!"**

Sans dragged the creature back frantically as he shuttered.

The other times it had just been messing with him. This time their attempted attack had been in true anger and real intent.

 **"You don't know what you're saying!"** It spat as it settled back onto its feet.

"heh." Sans half yawned. "i just know you need to literally do anything else." He stated.

And that was that. All he planned on saying. All he needed to do was wait. And stay away. It was making that last task easier. It kept stepping forward. But with each burst of magic Sans was feeling more and more drained. He was just so tired. He never thought he could ever be this tired. And that was saying something.

It just kept trying to step forward.

Again.

And again.

Again and again.

Forcing Sans to use his magic when he was already exhausted.

(And its smile was cruel, knowing exactly what it was doing)

It was forcing his hand on purpose, he realized, but what choice did he have now?

How long had the two of them been at this now? An hour? An hour like this? Longer? He could barely keep his eyes opened.

The creature seemed pleasantly pleased. If one could be both pleased and upset at the same time.

But finally it stopped taking steps forward and Sans knew.. knew... He couldn't keep his eyes open. He couldn't...

This was a mistake. Closing his eyes, it was a mistake. He knew it. But he couldn't... couldn't stay awake. He just...

The smile it was wearing as his eye sockets dropped closed was borderline crazed and the red eyes were sharp and determined...

But Sans couldn't stay awake.

But there was a burst of lingering energy. Stark and alarmed. As he jolted awake, gasping as if he was surfacing from beneath water.

And Sans side stepped their attack just in time. Eternally grateful that he was so good at sleeping.

"heh. didja really think you would be able- **ooph!** "

The creature had slammed into him with so much force and intent that for a moment he was half sure his HP would drop from that alone. And Sans was in full panic as he expected the knife to cut through him. But it didn't.

It had him on the ground, pressing on top of him.

No, it wasn't done with him. Not yet.

It was on top of him, its feet pressing down painful into his hands, keeping him from aiming and turning its Soul Blue to twist it off of him. The knife pressed up against the scarf on his neck with a glint of light. One move and it would be over.

Sans tried to shortcut away, through the floor, anything, but he could find nothing. He tried to summon a bone but couldn't aim it. He tried to summon a blaster but all he got was static and a flicker of magic in his eye socket as his drained mind spun with continued panic. He was exhausted while at the same time wide awake.

No, no nononono.

The creature pressed its entire weight on him and Sans felt hollowed out. It was pointless. Pointless.

Sans was at its _mercy_.

The creature let out a small laugh that began to grow and grow as its tense muscles relaxed and it also realized this fact. It had him.

"Finally." It said, its eyes. Oh its eyes so alive, so excited. And Sans... Sans was scared.

It chuckled one last time as it leaned in closer, putting its free hand against his forehead and tilting his skull back to examine him as in the other hand the knife twisted playfully between its fingers.

The creature thought a moment longer as the red eyes scanned his face. But then, the knife lifted and it was carving dutifully into his cheek. Sans flinched, clenching his teeth down hard and refusing to make a noise if possible. It hurt but it wasn't at all fatal. Sans' gaze flickered back up to the creature's face as it stopped, its smile widening, thrilled at the experiment's findings.

"You see that, Frisk?" It whispered. Sans' Soul hurt in his chest.

He tried to arch his back upwards to unseat the creature. Or at least off of his hands. Anything.

But failed.

The creature just slammed into him again, the red eyes wide and looking for their next course of action.

 **"I'm going to destroy the world!"** It declared, taunted. But there was a look in the red eyes. As if they weren't actually looking at him for him. As if they weren't even aware that he was there..

The creature pressed the knife to his other cheek and it began to make a matching line. Sans gritted his teeth together once again.

"I'm going to hurt him!" The creature taunted in a sing-song. It laughed after a moment, before continuing to demand of whoever it thought it was talking to. "Are you **_really_** going to stand for this?"

"you're sick, freak. sick." Sans managed. The red eyes saw him finally. The creature laughed as it pressed the knife into his skull.

"Don't worry, Sans." There was an edge of mock comfort in its voice. "This is all for your own good."

It hurt.

Sans squirmed as it continued and the more he did the deeper it would cut. Sans couldn't help but let out a small noise as it sliced at the corner of his eye. The noise of his distress only encouraged it. The creature pressed the knife against the vertebrae of his neck.

 **"Call!"** It ordered triumphantly. **"Call for help!"** He glared,

"there's nobody left to come."

Sans had expected the creature to laugh, if he was honest with himself.

He had expected its head to fall back and for the sound to grow and grow and echo off of the walls in continued triumph.

But instead.

The red eyes flashed in real pain as the creature froze solid on top of him.

Then... it was shaking with anger, rage, as it began to carve into him again more vigorously.

 **" _Call_." **It ordered again through clenched teeth. **"Call!"** It shouted. **"Call for them!"**

This time, Sans couldn't stop the sounds that were escaping him, but even if he tried, he wouldn't have been able to get out anything intelligible. Let alone call for anyone...

Sans felt his ribs threatening to crack under the weight the creature was applying with its knees, its feet digging into his hands, as blade kept carving into bone.

 **"CALL."**

It was shaking so much, it made Sans think, hope, that it might accidentally end him before it planned to. But if that happened, it would restart the battle all over again, wouldn't it? But it was shaking. Shaking so. _much_.

How can something that small be filled with so much hate and anger?

(It's a demon.)

(It has to be)

 **"Call their name! _CALL FOR FRISK!"_**

It was cutting deeper and deeper and Sans knew that his HP was going down by decimal points.

But Sans had no idea what it was asking him to do, but knowing it, Sans could guess that it was sick and twisted like everything else the creature did. And he wasn't going to give in. The creature could kill him but he refused to be played with anymore. Even as they let up for a moment and demanded-

"CALL!"

"go to hell." Sans spat, panting. The knife slammed into the ground beside his head and the red eyes were in his face, the fire in them threatening to sear him.

 **"We're already there."** It seethed through gritted teeth. " **Now..."** The creature dragged the knife across his chin, across the lines already made, and Sans let out a pained hiss. " **CALL**."

But he refused.

The creature sneered and began its work again, finding new ways to hurt him: on his arms through the hoodie, shifting its weight so it could get access to his chest. Its breathing was uneven and it seemed to be having the same amount of difficulty as Sans was for a moment, the anger simply kept it going. But it wasn't. It couldn't. It couldn't get him to do what it so desperately wanted!

"If they won't come when I call. If they won't come when I'm t **wo seconds from destroying the world**! Then they have to come for you! Or Asri-! Or some-! JUST **_CALL_**!"

"i don't. know. what. you're talking. about." Sans struggled. "you're just.. sic-"

"Call them! Just call them! **PART OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT NOW CALL THEM**!" The creature screamed.

It lifted the blade in its fury, clearly wanting to just end him, but it knew it couldn't. It was swallowing. Struggling to breathe but managing. There was so much emotion on its face. So much anger and so much... sorrow.

The creature looked like the two emotions were tearing it apart.

But wasn't LOVE supposed to numb those?

(How much could they be feeling to get it into this state even then?)

Sans couldn't understand and he was terrified.

"This is your..." the creature tried again, the knife still lifted over head. But the anger was seeping out of it. "Your. Your..."

The sorrow was winning and the blade was shaking in their hand though this time.. it was because the creature was near tears.

(It dared not cry though, Sans could see it.)

Sans was frozen, not even squirming as he continued to breathe in quickly, watching the end of the knife as it shook because looking at its face was too disturbing.

(Tears, real tears, had no right to be in those red eyes)

They were blinking furiously. the knife in its hand still shaking-

"This is your..." It couldn't.

The red eyes narrowed.

"It's my..."

The knife lowered and the creature slumped downwards, supporting itself with its hands on his ribcage.

"Just call!" The creature begged, its voice pitching upwards painfully.

Sans stared in silence at the ceiling but that was the wrong choice. The rage was a fire again. The creature tensed and began to cut into him again. And this time it seemed almost personal.

"You really have no clue! Not a single damned clue!" The creature raged and the pain was intense. His bones were burning.

(His Soul)

And Sans had to close his eyes.

There was a strangled sound in the back of his throat.

"Seven years! **Seven whole _YEARS_**!" The creature screamed. "Gone! Gone in **_SECONDS_**! Everyone's memories! Because..!" It sputtered again; Sans could tell it wanted to accuse him again. For whatever it was. But it couldn't. "Because..."

The knife pressed against him idly. The creature was... It was crying again. And this time it was all out, true crying. There was no stopping it. There was no denying it. It was clear in it voice.

"I killed them!" It laughed, but the laugh was only trying to mask a sob. Sans dared to open his eyes a bit. The red eyes were suddenly looking down at him in terror, the creature's voice was hardly a breath of a whisper. "Oh god, Sans, I killed them"

Its free hand raised and covered its mouth after it had said it. As if it could force the words back into its mouth and forget it. The creature's head began to shake back and forth. The hand fell and the red eyes narrowed angrily.

"They're gone! They're not coming back!" The creature yelled in accusation. It began to laugh again, brokenly. The creature sat back on top of him and looked up to the ceiling. "Maybe can't!"

There was a pause after it said it, as it let the words sit there...

"ha.." It breathed. "Ha... Haha. HahhahahaHAHAH _AHAH **AHAA**_!" The laughter echoed throughout the corridor and the creature's hand rose again to press over its mouth as the laughter continued.

The hand holding the knife slacked at the creature's side as Sans tried to bury himself into the floor. Anything to separate himself from the creature sitting on top of him.

And something about what it was saying. The words were pressing down on him. And his body, where it had been burning before, was now cold and beginning to hollow of real emotion other than... despair.

"But I have to keep trying!" The creature declared suddenly as they took the hand off of its mouth, taking a sharp breath. "I have to..."

It turned its attention back to him just as sharply and the knife was tearing into the red scarf; red eyes determined.

"h-hey." Sans began.

"Call! Call for help! Frisk!" It screamed. The blade hit bone again.

Sans flinched and refused to call out.

(Yet he found a part of him wanted to)

"Frisk!" The creature screamed. "FRISK!"

The creature continued and continued, its voice pitching and cracking painfully. Calling out on its own.; calling out as Sans panted in pain and squirmed against the knife. Calling out.

(Calling out in his place it seemed)

"FRISK! **FRISK**! **_FRISK_**!"

The knife lifted above its head and the creature gave out a new, wordless scream. The knife went straight through his sternum, something red splattering over his tormenter.

Sans's breath hitched and his eye sockets opened wide as everything stopped.

There was a moment as the being on top of him remained tense, maybe genuinely surprised at what it had done as it took in deep breaths that Sans could not. Sans just stared ahead as the world blurred.

He wanted to speak, perhaps, but he was just too weak. A part of him was happy that it was finally over.

If it stayed over was up to the creature, but he wouldn't remember this so it didn't really matter.

This. This was over.

"S-Sans...?"

He didn't want to, but Sans forced his gaze to focus on the face above him, something in him almost hopeful. Because, to be honest, with that tone, in his dying mind, he truly hadn't expected the red eyes to still be there.

But there they were. The eyes of a demon remaining.

But they were genuinely sad and... horrified.

"I..." The eyes looked over the pale, red markings on his face and the creature began to shiver. "I'm sorry."

The red eyes narrowed and the creature slumped over the knife in its hands that was still buried deep into his chest. The creature's head rested on the base of his neck.

"I'm sorry...!"

But it's hard to believe someone... when you can feel yourself crumbling into dust.

 _"I'm so sorry...!"_

...

..

[Re-]

[RE-][Re-] _[RE-]_

..

 _**[RESET]** _

..

.

Sans opened his eyes slowly, his body felt like dead weight in his bed.

(Heh...)

(Dead weight...)

His gaze shifted from the ceiling and he stared vacantly out into the dim room, the trash tornado the only source of sound.

The air around him felt funny.

Like it was settling into place.

Sans wanted to say that whoever it was that could control time had just Reset. It just... didn't feel exactly like that. It felt more sinister. And off.

As if, as the world settled, it was struggling to.

And the air tasted of static. Metalic. But empty.

And Sans felt sore. He didn't think that was normal.

(Something had gone wrong)

A flash of red assaulted his mind and Sans flinched at the invasive memory of the 'nightmare'.

It passed and he breathed out heavily as he got to forget again.

But even still...

They were all in a world of trouble... weren't they?

Sans groaned as he tried to sit up in bed and than gave up. He fell back into the bed with the thought that maybe he could get a few more minutes before Pap- PAPYRUS!

Sans sat up and teleported to the door and threw it open. The irrational fear that his brother wasn't there driving him across the hall in another flash of light and into his brother's.. empty bedroom.

"PAPS!" Sans called out, his usually low voice ringing through the house.

"SANS?" Papyrus called back from downstairs in obvious alarm. Sans felt the relief bubbling in him but still not enough. He immediately teleported himself to the living room just as Papyrus was beginning to bound up the steps to find him.

"Paps!" Sans called out seeing him. Papyrus stopped and turned back around, concern etched into his skull.

(etched, _etched,_ why did he shutter?)

(shutter even as he felt relief)

"BROTHER, WHAT IS WRONG? YOU.. YOU ARE SHAKING!" But he was physically touching Papyrus. It wasn't a dream and slowly. Slowly. Sans was beginning to calm for real even as the dread lingered.

"heh. heh." Sans let out, his mind releasing him from the panic as the immediate threat subsided. But he still shook.

He couldn't stop.

But he needed to stop.

(Papyrus couldn't know a thing)

"sorry, bro. i just... you could say a nightmare had really rattle my bone. it's nothing."

Papyrus' brow knitted together. Sans couldn't help but cheer up a bit as the rest of the morning Papyrus hovered over him in concern. But still, Sans worked to calm his brother down and convince him that it _was_ nothing. Cus it was. It hadn't even happened anymore.

(But it could happen again)

"nah, bro, i'm fine, i can go to work." Sans assured when Papyrus offered to have him stay home.

His brother was staring down at him in quiet horror.

"don't matter if i'm here or there does it?"

(Its all going to end horrible either way.)

"i can slack off ever which way."

Papyrus' horror transformed into appalled and loud frustration. That was better. Sans felt a lot better.

"SANS, I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU SOMETIMES!" Papyrus admonished. And Sans laughed.

Normalcy.

Forgetfulness...

(At least for now)

...

...

..


	2. Nightmares

_*don't forget_

* * *

Here's the thing about forgetting.

You can put something out of your mind and not think about it. Even truly forget.

But that doesn't mean that it'll stop causing you pain.

And heavy lids or eye sockets force you to contend with that.

But you get yourself out of bed and force yourself to keep going.

Because right now, that's the only thing you have...


	3. Something

At the very edge of Snowdin Forest there is a door. It is huge and foreboding and perhaps just a bit, definitely off limits. This feeling of being definitely, definitely just a bit tad off limits was definitely helped by the fact that this door was always locked. And locked from the other side.

One could go out. One could not go in.

And this ominous presence was only enhanced by the fact that this door... led into the Ruins. And out of the Ruins... has come each and every human that has fallen before.

This is why Sans is stationed there.

To watch.

But...

This big, closed off door in the shadows...

A giant door. In the middle of nowhere. Locked.

Begging, just begging.

... How could one pass up the urge to practice a few knock knock jokes to pass the day away?

The Door was perfect.

Especially when there was somebody on the other side.

Sans had his suspicions about who his joke partner was. Maybe a bit more than just suspicions. But she never said and he never bothered. The anonymity seemed to do the both of them good. Pretending. Pretending that there was nothing else but this beckoning door and their jokes and the company. And, well, Papyrus. Even then there was always Papyrus. The world wouldn't be complete without Papyrus. So here they were not knowing each other's names, but she knew everything about Papyrus.

But they could pretend. Pretend that nothing was bothering them. Ever.

Except one fateful day...

Fewer jokes. Fewer laughs.

And a promise.

A promise he immediately regretted. Had regretted while _making_ it.

A promise Sans oh so deeply regretted right _then,_ standing there in the snow and shadows. And how he oh so regretted that promise more than ever.

Because one cannot go in the door but others can come out.

Because somebody, something, was coming out.

And Sans...

There is this dread that lingers on his bones at all times. He can't help it anymore. Even when he is pretending... it is there. The weight. The knowledge of time snapping back and forth.

He cannot forget even though he cannot remember either.

Even when he tries his hardest.

Nothing lasts; this is the only thing for certain that he knows.

And the time for forgetting has come to an end. It was never going to last.

Because the door to the Ruins has opened once again and with the sound of it closing thundering across the cold, snowy cavern...

And Sans... He knows it is them.

He knows it immediately.

He _hates_ them immediately.

He knows.

He hates.

All with just a glimpse of the red eyes.

Though they are smaller than he had expected, The Time Anomaly. Almost as if they were just a child. A human child.

Sans' brow furrowed and the rage sparked more hotly in his chest, the hatred aflame and magic sparking in his left eye.

So, a human child, huh? Great. He had to go and promise, hadn't he?

 _"Watch over them and protect them, will you not?"_

 **Promised.**

The universe just hated him. Sans could do nothing to stop them and he was now even expected to _help_ them?

Well **_tough_**.

Everyone was entitled to their own sense of humor... but Sans didn't have to play along.

The Anomaly's head was down again but it didn't matter. Sans had already seen what he needed to know what they were.

A demon, a freak with complete control of time.

Complete control of Sans' life and everything he loved!

(He hated, **hated** , hated them)

Hated them. Hated them as they shambled down the pathway. Hated them as they didn't bother to even look up and see where they were going. Hated them as they didn't bother to seem awed or unfamiliar with what surrounded them. Hated them...

Sans teleported behind them and snapped the branch in half that they hadn't bothered noticing. It snapped with ease and a satisfying **_CRACK_**.

But still they didn't look up, indifferent to the sound and to Sans' raging magic. They only kept going. Going until they reached the bridge and the bars Papyrus had put over it.

(Dear god, Papyrus... what was Sans going to do about Papyrus?)

The anger shifted to uncertainty and his magic twisted uncomfortably.

Papyrus...

Even in his anger and hatred, still he couldn't' forget about Papyrus. And with it the fear...

But the anger came back and it gave him enough of a push to step in behind them as they stood there together in the snow.

" **h um an."**

The lights in Sans' eyes had gone dark and his smile twisted cruelly into a cringe as he stared at the back of their head.

"don't you know how to great a new pal?"

Sans had expected them to turn around and stare him down, the red eyes glaring. Perhaps give their own twisted would-be-stomach-curling smile.. But they didn't.

Their fingernails were digging into their palms and their shoulders were tense, but they remained motionless in what looked like barely concealed hatred and rage. Sans forced his eyes to spark back to life, but the magic was flowing around him in subtle warning.

But maybe Sans was overreacting. Maybe something good was there buried in Sans' forgetful skull.

(But something had gone wrong, so wrong)

But what could he do?

What could he do but threaten?

Nothing.

Not anything.

But if they were going to do this, then let's do this.

"turn around and shake my hand." Sans ordered.

The Anomaly turned around but did not lift their face. It was fallen and shadowed over.

But whatever. Sans didn't feel to keen on seeing it or the red eyes.

In fact, Sans didn't feel to keen on this entire conversation. This entire timeline.

Wish they would just quit while they were ahead.

Though actually...

Sans eyed them as he put out his hand, but all in all, he couldn't see a speck of dust on them. That meant nothing though, he reasoned. It's been there before, he knows.

And they **_weren't_** taking his offered hand.

Sans scowled after awhile, his fingers curled slightly as he stuffed his hand back into his pocket; whoopee cushion gone.

Welp. That was that then. Their last chance to turn his first impression around and they handn't even had the courtesy of trying.

"anyways." Sans moved along. "you're human, right?"

Sans stared at them for a second but their head feel a bit more to avoid it.

Yeah. Right. Human.

"that's hilarious." Sans concluded.

Really, truly, hilarious.

The 'Human' didn't respond.

Didn't respond to his name. Didn't respond to his claims that he was supposed to be on the look out. And on the look out for said 'humans'.

(And as Sans thought about The Door, the promise, he regretted that this was now in more ways than one)

But The 'Human' didn't respond. Seem to react at all except for maybe once. For a brief moment. For a brief moment Sans, though he didn't know what to make of it, or sure it was even there, but Sans thought he saw The 'Human' press their lips together a bit more tightly at the mention of Papyrus.

But other than that, there was nothing.

The 'Human' did not react nor respond.

They were silent and cast in darkness.

And all Sans could do was move them along; through the bars, to his station, to where the lamp stood.

And-

Sans froze, seeing his brother's figure approaching from a distance.

Of course, of course, of course, _of course_

He couldn't avoid it forever, but it was too soon, too-

The lamp.

But they would never listen to him, he already knew without saying it. But still he said it:

"quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp." Sans offered, eyeing them from the side.

And to his surprise...

They actually listened.

Silently, darkly, they turned away from him and walked over to the lamp. Disappearing behind it.

(Huh. Unexpected, but that was fine. Sans could work with that)

"SANS!"

Sans turned back to his brother, lighting up his expression as best as possible.

"sup, bro?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT 'SUP', BROTHER!"

Yeah. Yeah Sans did.

And if he could maybe, just maybe to get the thing behind the lamp to know it too, then maybe, just maybe, they could dodge a bullet (or the swing of a knife). Make the thing behind the lamp understand that Papyrus wasn't in anyway dangerous. That Papyrus was the coolest thing down here.

(The only thing Sans had...)

Then maybe... Just maybe... They'd leave him alone and Sans could relax some.

(Until it all Reset)

Papyrus, just as expected, didn't listen to Sans' prodding to look into the lamp. Just as expected, Papyrus chastised him for his attempted laziness and for the puns.

All before offering him one himself and laughing heartedly...

"NYHEH HEH HEH!"

And just as expected, as it was all said and done, Papyrus was on his way-

"HEH!"

Papyrus was on his way.

Out of sight. Safe and out of sight for a moment longer.

And Sans turned his attention back to The 'Human' who was still out of sight on the other side of the lamp.

"okay, you can come out now." Sans called. And then waited. And... waited. They didn't reappear.

Sans' scowl returned.

"you oughta get goin', ya know?" He told them. "he might come back."

Still nothing.

"if he does, you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes." Sans winked out of habit.

Nothing. Zilch. Nada.

Sans was almost outright scowling now. Or at least his eye sockets and brow. His smile remained like it always did though it was strained.

After another half minute, Sans sighed and gave up. He walked over to his station and sat down in his chair.

The 'Human' had sat down with their back against the lamp, their head still down. They were staring at their knees that they had pulled up to their chest and had rested their tight fists against them. Sans leaned over the counter of his station.

"ya know," Sans called out to them after a few more awkward minutes. "my bro has been sort of down lately, seeing a human could really cheer him up."

Again. No response.

"if you could, i don't know, start pretending to at least be one, that'd be nice?"

Suddenly, a soft laugh bubbled up from the being beside the lamp, a hand lifting to cover their mouth.

It made Sans' magic twist.

Of course, it was just playing with him. Of course.

"was that an 'okay'?" Sans asked thinly as the laughter faded back into silence. He already regretted his decision, but he couldn't take it back. It was done. Everyone's downfall had begun.

But The 'Human' stayed unmoving, seeming to hesitate even.

"heh. i get it, paps is so cool, you got some cold feet. but if ya stay here you'll _really_ freeze to death before he even gets a chance to see you." Sans admitted.

Although it would be better for everyone if they did.

The 'Human' breathed out heavily, in what may have been resignation. They pushed themself up out of the snow and walked carefully past his station, making it a point to turn their face away from him as they went over by the path. Sans eyed them suspiciously as they seemed to hesitate once again. Their fisted hands shook as they took a deep breath.

Slowly, they turned their head back towards the station and lifted their face; a single red eye glancing his way through the bangs of their hair.

Sans froze and his smiling teeth gritted together painfully.

The eye met his and Sans held his breath; a sharp, brief image of a single red eye in the darkness of his nightmares with the swing of a knife surging through his mind.

This red eye, though, was examining him tentatively. (Almost fearfully) And Sans had to admit that he was caught off guard by the dark circle beneath it. The exhausted red eye seemed to be taking in his face, carefully looking for something out of place.

"ya got something to say, kid?" Sans asked, his voice darker than he probably should have allowed. They jumped and turned their face away, giving a slight shake of their head. "then i guess i'll meet you up ahead."

Sans lifted from his place and walked in the opposite direction of The 'Human', planning to teleport his way through the woods.

His boney hand rose to his cheeks and dragged his fingers down across them, self-conscious of how the kid had examined him. None of this was sitting right by him. It was uncomfortable and Sans knew, just _knew_ , that it was all going to end very badly.

(Something'd gone wrong)

 _Had_ ended very badly...

He dared another glance back at The 'Human' just before he disappeared around the corner. They were standing there again, but this time fidgeting with their hands, and their teeth gritted together in a scowl.

 _[Something] [Anything]_

 _[Please]_

He turned his face away fast. Regretting everything he had seen. It had been better to keep them faceless.

Anything else he couldn't seem to stomach.

But he could hear them taking in a deep breath, and continuing on their way. Just as he did the same. Both taking the opposite ways but somehow still reaching the same place.

... Papyrus..

"CONTINUE ONLY IF YOU DARE!" Papyrus declared as The 'Human' stood across from them. "NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"

But the 'Human' stood there with their head down, the red eyes hidden behind their bangs, and their entire stance...

"you don't even bat an eye, do you?" Sans mumbled after Papyrus had left and still they gave no reaction except to turn their face even farther away from him... Sans couldn't see their expression but it was already clear what they were thinking in their behavior and their stance.. This didn't matter.

Sans didn't matter.

The lights in his sockets went out.

"welp. i'll keep a socket out for ya."

To make sure he knew exactly what was going on with then as much as possible.

Even if in the end...

There was still... nothing... nothing, not anything at all that he could actually-

Sans wasn't ready as they encountered their first Monster outside of Papyrus.

"Hey you!" The teen fluttered forth from snowhere and Sans was froze in his tracks as he watched helplessly. Uselessly. Even if he did something, The 'Human' would just restart and try again, wouldn't they? Useless- Helpless- And worse yet, Sans knew the kid a bit, too. He worked with the kid's pops at MTT every week- Sans knew the kid wanted to be a comedian. Knew how much of a hard time he'd been having since his mom... well...

And most of all, Sans knew the kid had recently run away from home.

His pops didn't even know where he was, and this might end so awfully, horribly-

But what could Sans do as the kid came first to test the fate of everyone else Sans knew?

"Wait up!" Snowdrake called out again and he sent a single attack flying past their head.

There was a sharp, biting sensation of sparking magic. Sans flinched and leaned back as The 'Human' tensed and there was a brief, intense flash of red light. When Sans' gaze refocused he lost his breath. The 'Human' remained with their back turned towards Snowdrake. But also... with their back turned to the Soul that had manifested itself.

A Soul...

It pulsed radiantly, beautifully against the white of the snow. Pulsed. Steady.

That Demon... actually had a Soul...

Just somehow... Sans hadn't expected The Anomaly to actually... The 'Human' sighed softly and Sans could see them stand up straighter. Almost preparing themself. And then... The red Soul was warm and The 'Human's' smile bright, but Sans felt colder than cold. Chilled... down to the bone.

Their smile was wide and for a moment, their eyes were closed. Closed and Sans felt-

There was an intense pain inside his chest and he lost his breath, the world seeming to threaten to fall apart like shattering ice beneath him.

That expression-

That face-

But quickly, the red eyes were open. The sensation vanished at the sight of them, only to be replaced with a burning anger. Sans gritted his teeth as he felt sick at how drastically The 'Human' had transformed.

Their smile was bright. The red eyes trying to blister with innocent excitement.

And it was all fake.

All of it. Every drop of sweetness.

Fake.

But the teen bought it. Completely oblivious as it fought to maintain its captured audience.

"I'll only let you pass after you hear me out!" Snowdrake told them, taking a threatening stance.

"I'm just on my way to Snowdin." The demon spoke kindly. Sans shrunk in on himself hearing the cheery tone, his magic racing and unsettled.

It was fake. Everything about it was fake. The tone. The voice, almost as if it didn't belong to them. Fake. And everything within Sans screamed with alarm.

"Why don't you just come along?" They offered the teen.

Sans' alarm skyrocketed.

But luckily, or unluckily to some point, Snowdrkae scoffed.

"You would just try to escape from having to listen." He grumbled and Sans was thankful for the mistrust. The skepticism. If there was nothing else- "Nah, I'll make you listen."

Sans' would-be-stomach was falling.

"Well, if you're so intent on hitting on me. Okay! Shoot!" The 'Human' said with a wink. Snowdrake frowned and there was a spark of magic in the air as he began to obey. Shooting.

Both physically and verbally.

"D-Don't think I'll go e-easy. I'll... F-Fight you in cold blood!" Snowdrake began, trying to sound assured but... failing. Miserably. But still... Normally, Sans would have been all interested in the puns and the play acting that was occurring. His frantic and panicked mind had already made puns several times since the start. But this time... This time he couldn't keep his eyes off of The 'Human' as they moved through the attacks.

The 'Human' laughed a bit as their feet settled back down on the ground.

"I don't know, maybe you should chill out." They offered, with yet another wink. The expression... That expression...

(Sans hated them)

Snowdrake seemed miffed.

"I've heard that one before." He replied coldly. The 'Human's' smile wavered but remained as Snowdrake sent out another attack. "Ice puns are 'snow' problem!"

The 'Human' laughed, trying to sound genuine, and this time Snowdrake perked up happily. Sans on the other hand was growing sicker by the second as he continued to watch the encounter.

And The 'Human' laughed again, with no prompting whatsoever.

The teen frowned again, seeming to catch on to The 'Human's' act.

"What are YOU laughing at now?" He demanded self-consciously as he let his next attack fly.

The 'Human's' smile disappeared entirely this time as they realized yet another mistake. But easily enough, they dodged the attack.

"You better not 'snow' flake out!"

The 'Human' stood up and recovered, laughing again even as they cleared snow off of their pants. Doing their best to sound honest.

And it wasn't.

But the teenager was too ecstatic (or desperate) to notice.

"See?! Laughs! Dad was wrong!"

"Of course!" The 'Human' exclaimed brightly. "But, I really do have to keep going."

[SPARE]

"Somebody is expecting me..."

"Ah. Oh. Right." Snowdrake agreed, sparing them back. The Soul shimmered before it disappeared back. "Snow use keeping you here still, is there?" Snowdrake mused, giving out a small chuckle. "See ya around?"

The 'Human' nodded enthusiastically but winked again.

"Not if icy you first."

Snowdrake didn't even hesitate this time before laughing, seeming appeased from their attention before. Not even realizing the possible meaning of that departing greeting... The real danger everyone was in just by this creature's existence. But Snowdrake didn't seem the wiser as he began to fly off, even as Sans couldn't take his eyes off of The 'Human' or shake free from his cold terror.

"Bye!" The 'Human' called, waving and rushing towards the trees and Sans' hiding place.

"Ice to meet you!" Snowdrake agreed, heading off in the other direction, possibly looking for more audience to capture.

And as soon as the teenager was gone, The 'Human' stopped and their waving hand fell.

Their smile faded and their expression became blank as they sighed, letting their shoulders fall. It struck Sans once again how exhausted they were... and how much that single encounter had taken even more out of them.

Acting would do that to you, wouldn't it?

And for Sans...

That had been... That had been so sick. Too sick. Pretending like that. They were sick.

Sans leaned against one of the trees as he stared at them. A different sort of hapless hollowed feeling gripping him. Because this, despite how sick it was, was exactly what he had asked them to do. To play along.

But now that he had seen it...

This game that they were willing to play... The feelings that tore through him, unlocked with their wide smile...

They were a demon trying to masquerade as an angel and Sans knew it. He knew it... Sick, just sick! Sick with a frozen, rotting Soul!

And he had asked for it. Not even a half hour ago.

(He hated them)

The 'Human's' head fell again with a hand lifting to their chest, fingers seeming to search before falling back down against their legs. The darkness covered their features and they turned to make their way to Doggo's station.

And Sans...

Sans couldn't move forward to watch and see how it would go.. He couldn't.

He just... couldn't...

Because somehow, Sans felt worse than if he had seen them cut the young teen down.

Because at least that... would have been honest.

It would have been less cruel than whatever that had been.

That smile.

That feeling...

Sans' mind was racing towards Papyrus.

What was Sans going to do?

He... He couldn't do anything. Anything but-

"remember." Sans said seriously, almost threateningly, as they stood across from him with a grimace and turned away gaze. "blue stop signs."

Sans felt the fire sparking in his left eye.

Blue stop signs for sure.

But they didn't say anything as they moved away from him once again. Seeming to not pay him any heed. He couldn't tell a thing that they were thinking... and it made Sans snarl as he teleported forward.

"SANS! JUST IN TIME!"

The lights in Sans' eye reignited and and lifted his head sharply as the world came back into focus and his expression transformed drastically. Sans turned around to face Papyrus.

"SANS! I HAVE THE PERFECT FIRST CHALLENGE FOR THE HUMAN!"

"that so? what's up first?"

Papyrus laughed.

"NYEH HEH! THE ELECTRIC MAZE OF COURSE!"

"ah. yes. no shock there."

"SANS!" Papyrus chastised. "THIS IS MY FIRST TIME CHALLENGING A HUMAN! PLEASE DO NOT RUIN THIS FOR ME!" Sans laughed softly.

"never bro. never."

Papyrus hesitated though. Seeming uncertain.

"REALLY THOUGH! THAT HUMAN!... DO I KNOW THAT PERSON?"

Sans nearly dropped his smile, the cold hollowing sensation returning.

(Their bright smile. Eyes closed. The red shimmering Soul)

But it passed and the hatred came flooding back because yeah. Yeah, Sans knew what Papyrus was referring to. The pain, the fear, the dust... But Sans didn't want Papyrus to realize what he was referring to.. Sans narrowed his eyes sockets in clear, playful skepticism.

"do you not know... who you know?" Sans asked, but he knew, he knew, he knew...

That familiar deja vu of the Resets he had and Papyrus also seemed to, but Sans dared not admit it to his brother.

"PBPBPPBPT!" Papyrus flared.

Sans caught movement in the corner of his sight and he glanced over to see The 'Human' standing there, lips pressed together as Papyrus continued to try and back pedal the situation.

"OF COURSE I KNOW WHO I KNOW!" Papyrus assured. "I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU KNOW.. I KNOW WHO I KNOW AS MUCH AS I KNOW I KNOW WHO I KNOW!"

The 'Human' and Sans caught red eyes to eye sockets and the sensation Sans felt in that moment were twisting awfully. The 'Human' looked away first and Sans turned his attention back to his brother, wishing he could have at least a small sense of gratification from that... It just didn't matter. A little, worthless thing. Worthless, absolutely worthless and imagined victory that didn't matter-

"... YOU KNOW?"

"yeah. i know."

The-

"OH-HO! THE HUMAN ARRIVES!" Papyrus said, turning towards them as he realized they were even there. The 'Human's' expression brightened, a smile forming... but... it was not the same. It was more hesitant and unconvincing than the one they had been able to conjure up for the teenager. "IN ORDER TO STOP YOU... MY BROTHER AND I HAVE CREATED SOME PUZZLES!"

Papyrus posed and pulled out the orb that was required to start activate the maze. The 'Human's' smile widened and there was a brief moment where Sans was thrown back towards feeling hollow but he hardened his gaze as he refused.

"I THINK YOU WILL FIND THIS ONE... QUITE SHOCKING!"

Once again. The 'Human' played along. 'Doing' the maze. Doing everything Papyrus asked of them, but nothing more. And as they went along the path to Snowdin and Sans watched, he saw the smile continue to come and go. Coming when someone was near, vanishing in an instant when they had gone. All except Sans, though. No. For Sans it did not matter. It seemed he was the only one they didn't even bother to act for.

And it made Sans feel even more miserable and worthless.

So... They didn't even care that Sans knew what they were up to. That they were lying through their gritted, smiling teeth. Maybe that was even the point. Not to just play with everyone in the Underground, but Sans specifically. Because he knew. And they knew that he knew, he knew it. It was all an act.

(Something had gone wrong)

And he. could. do. nothing. about. it.

Not a single thing. Nothing. Not anything-

Sans stood across the ravine in his usual place as he watched them buying Nice Cream; three whole things of chocolate. They were smiling as the vendor chattered excitedly at their purchase but the moment they turned around and saw Sans the smile disappeared. Their head lowered; Sans barely catching a glimpse of those red eyes. Sans stood still, watching them as they immediately headed towards The Ball Game.

The ball of snow sat waiting almost expectantly and they only hesitated briefly before plunging determinedly towards the playing field, perhaps determined to ignore him. Or determined to just show him how purposefully they could actually move- But Sans kept his smile as they worked. As they were quick and precise and the moment the ball entered the hole, the red flag was rising up to their eye level.

Red. Like their eyes. Like their Soul. Like their determination.

Yeah, the universe just liked to mock Sans.

The 'Human' was staring at it, their face still angled away and he couldn't tell what they were thinking, the only clue he had was in their rigid stance. And they kept staring at it, the flag.

And Sans watched them almost, just almost, curiously and he couldn't help it- He watched as their fingers coiled together into tight fists. The small body was shaking and a faint sound began to reach his ears: laughter.

The 'Human' pushed the flag out of their way as they passed, leaving the prize money behind as the post waved back and forth. As they moved forward, not bothering any of their time on him. Sans resisted a sigh as he followed after them, feeling tied to them even as he wanted to get as far away as possible, to not have to see just how sick they could be.

And The 'Human'..

They really were going along with Papyrus in everything. Everything. They even spent several minutes pretending to work at Sans' wordsearch puzzle. Pretend, though, because Sans could see the red eyes drooping in boredom, their head nodding forward until they caught themself and shook it off. And finally they stood up and offered Papyrus a sorry-seeming smile. They nodded enthusiastically that Junior Jumble was a lot more difficult than a crossword.

They didn't stay to hear what Sans had to say about it, though. Which a part of Sans was relieved. If they didn't stay, he didn't have to thank them. He didn't have to thank them again for messing with his brother. Didn't have to work to appease them any more than he already found himself having to...

But he knows, too. They were messing with him. And Papyrus. And all of it intentional.

Half shambling about like that, and he knows it has to be all part of the act too. They haven't died yet. Not once. And Sans knows it. They have not died. Time still felt of static but hadn't snapped back at any time since he had woken up that morning. So this shambled, almost tired act, it was exactly that. An act. Acting the whole time...

And maybe it wouldn't have hurt so bad- Maybe. Maybe it wouldn't have hurt so bad if Papyrus just... wasn't enjoying himself so much. If Papyrus... wasn't genuinely liking the little demon.

The 'Human' was bitter and frustrated each time his brother walked away, you could see it even under their smile too. Frustrated and bitter. Frustrated as Papyrus walked away after promising to make them "ALL THE PASTA YOU COULD EVER WANT! HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH NYEH!"

And Sans hated them, hated it. He hated all of this.

"i bet if he keeps it up, next year he'll even make something edible." Sans suggested after Papyrus had twirled away, his latest puzzle (a Mettaton puzzle) a failure. Though Sans had his suspicions about that.

"H-" The magic in Sans' sockets flashed in completely surprise at the sound that escaped them, but quickly they turned their face away and it died in their throat. Their fists tightened and the frustration seemed to rise again. Sans scowled as they walked away.

He hated them...

But Papyrus didn't.

"BEHOLD THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!" Sans eyed his brother, already knowing how this would all play out. He didn't even need to be a time traveler. He just knew his brother.

He had to eye the dog curiously though, wondering what that was about.

"WHEN I SAY THE WORD IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE!" Papyrus decreed. The human was watching Papyrus blankly, seeming unimpressed. Already knowing how this turned out too. Papyrus went along excitedly anyways. "CANNONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE!" He seemed hardly able to contain himself. "EACH PART WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN! ARE YOU READY?" The human stared with their lips pursed. "BECAUSE! I!" Papyrus seemed to realize what he was saying and nearly hesitated. Sans couldn't help but smile genuinely as Papyrus continued to try and sound confident. "I! AM! ABOUT! TO DO IT!"

Nothing happened.

Just like each of them had known.

Well, not Papyrus, but he was knowing it now. He just had to make sure the others didn't realize it. Not realizing it had already been realized before he had done the realizing.

"well?" Sans tried not to chuckle. "what's the holdup?"

"HOLDUP?! WHAT HOLDUP?!" Papyrus denied, turning away so the human couldn't see his face. Sans caught sight of another smile on their face, but it was almost sad this time. They caught him looking and they lowered their head, hunching their shoulders as it turned into a grimace. "I'M..." Sans looked back to Papyrus as he continued. "I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!"

There was another pause as Papyrus turned and watched the human, the dilemma clear on his face.

He couldn't do it.

"that, uh, doesn't look very activated."

"WELL!" Papyrus fumed. "THIS CHALLENGE! IT SEEMS... MAYBE... TOO EASY TO DEFEAT THE HUMAN WITH." He couldn't risk actually hurting them. "YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE!" And this is what was the best about his brother. "I AM A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS!"

If only the person he was showing MERCY to actually deserved it.

"MY PUZZLES ARE VERY FAIR! AND MY TRAPS ARE EXPERTLY COOKED!" Papyrus continued. "BUT THIS METHOD IS TOO DIRECT!" Too dangerous. "NO CLASS AT ALL!" Somebody, the human, could die! "AWAY IT GOES!"

The mass mayhem was gone. Dog included.

Papyrus breathed out in relief and turned around again.

The 'Human's' expression was the opposite of relieved. It was clearly, beyond angry. But the red eyes closed and they forced themself to take a deep breath. Sans watched it cautiously... as it transformed into another fake smile. Soft. Gentle. But it was strained...

"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!" Papyrus demanded. "THAT WAS ANOTHER DECISIVE VICTORY FOR PAPYRUS!"

The 'Human' nodded for him in seeming agreement. Papyrus still appeared out of sorts.

"NYEH! HEH!..." Papyrus paused, not able to look at Sans or the human anymore. "HEH?"

The 'Human' and Sans watched Papyrus go without another word. In moments, The 'Human' was standing beside him, the bitter expression returning as they looked after Papyrus. And when they tried to walk away-

"hey kid," Sans said, cutting off their escape. "i'm not sure what my brother is going to do now, but i'll give ya some advice when it comes to fighting my brother." Sans' eye lights disappeared. "don't." The 'Human' has one foot in front of the other, ready to flee, but they were frozen in place. Their breath caught. "you wouldn't wanna have a bad time."

Their breath restarted and Sans could see that their chest was moving up and down quicker than usual. There was a strange satisfaction rising up in Sans' chest. A strange sense of power at having actually gotten a desirable reaction. And this time it stuck, even if only for just a moment...

"glad to see we understand each other."

They hurried away from Sans and he waited until they were just out of sight before he teleported to Snowdin, hiding once again as he watched The 'Human' enter town.

They made a beeline to the front of the shop but didn't go in right away to Sans' surprise. Their hand raised into the air and Sans scowled once more as they stood there for a second. Their eyes closed as they regained their breath. Once again Sans found himself proud to have gotten such a reaction to begin with, but he was confused by the action. They seemed to be mumbling to something under their breath as they kept their hand out awkwardly.

And then suddenly. They made their way into the store.

And once they re-emerged, Sans watched them make their way through Snowdin. Their fake smile returned as they greeted the residents. They lingered at the decorated tree, taking their time with one of the monster kids specifically.

Nothing but smiles and kind words.

And Sans thought, maybe, perhaps, they were stalling, too.

Or maybe just making sure to lay it on as thick as possible just so betrayal could be even sweeter.

They even slipped into Grillby's for a moment before Sans watched them return to the front of the store and touch the air again gently.

Sans stared at their fingers, heat burning his bones.

They were doing something, weren't they? Something to do with their strange ability in controlling time... Resets and Loads- It had to be.

When the red eyes reopened, Sans could see a small spark of determination gleaming in the redness. But it was too soon before they turned away and unknowingly hid their expression away from him.

And the two of them moved forward. The coming battle... no longer avoidable.

Despite the confidence and the threats he had offered, Sans still felt uneasy. Tense. Tense and helpless. His view was white and black with the weather, and when he squinted- The 'Human' was a dark shadow on the path. Sans risked getting closer, and when he did he noted The 'Human' had come to a stop; staring directly ahead, their lips pressed together but their shoulders arched upwards as they lifted their head high; still determined.

And...

And just like the smiles.

Just like everything else-

It was all fake.

Sans stood shocked by the realization, his mind trying to comprehend it. Trying to figure out what to do with it. But there was no time.

Papyrus appeared across from The 'Human' and a heavy weight dropped in from Sans' chest and into his stomach and he was tense again.

He... He didn't want to watch this.

But he couldn't look away.

Threatening. Watching.

It was... It was the only thing Sans could ever do.

"HUMAN."

(please papyrus... run! don't do this. please!)

"ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS."

(not papyrus. please, just not paps!)

Sans knew that was selfish of him, but he couldn't help it. Nothing mattered. None of this mattered. Except he couldn't stand the thought of Papyrus... Of Papyrus... Papyrus is the only thing that still mattered- And Sans just felt so.. helpless, hopeless... The feelings crushing-

"FEELINGS LIKE... THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER. THE ADMIRATION FOR ANOTHER'S PUZZLE-SOLVING SKILLS. THE DESIRE TO HAVE A COOL, SMART PERSON THINK YOU ARE COOL. THESE FEELINGS... THEY MUST BE WHAT YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW!"

Sans forced himself to look at The 'Human'. They were staring with the same forced expression from earlier, but it seemed to be even more strained than before.

"I CAN HARDLY IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO FEEL THAT WAY. AFTER ALL, I AM VERY GREAT. I DON'T EVER WONDER WHAT HAVING LOTS OF FRIENDS IS LIKE."

(please... pap...)

"I PITY YOU... LONELY HUMAN..."

The expression The 'Human' was wearing... They noticeably flinched and grit their teeth as they looked down at the snow.

"WORRY NOT! YOU SHALL BE LONELY NO LONGER!"

(please... just... not paps!)

"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE YOUR..."

Sans' breath caught as his mind completed the sentence for him: friend.

He wanted to say friend.

Sans eyed his brother in disbelief but at the same time, how can he be surprised? Of course... Of course that was how his brother would feel. And yet...

But his brother, was turning around... You could see the mental dilemma in his stance.. And then, his sigh carried across the potential battlefield...

"NO..." Papyrus began sadly. "NO.. I KNOW THAT IS ALL WRONG." Papyrus turned back around, his face serious. "HUMAN. ONE CANNOT DENY IT. HUMAN, YOU MUST ADMIT AND SO MUST I. YOU.. ARE A BIT OF A WEIRDO."

The 'Human'...

The red eyes were wide, their head snapping upwards as they stared at them. And Sans knew, could see in their expression and feel it in his bones-

This was not the way it goes.

Not the way it was supposed to go.

Papyrus turned away briefly, his face lowering. But The 'Human'... Their teeth were gritted and the frustration was in their face. The anger rose up through them and both Sans and Papyrus had to shift their attention sharply back to them as they stomped their foot.

"That's not-!" They began to shout. It's not fair, their face seemed to say. "I did everything right! I did your puzzles and played along! I did everything like I'm-" Their voice broke but they covered it with another snarl. "I did everything like I'm supposed to! You can't..."

Papyrus' face was one of surprised but he quickly went back to work.

"OH YES." He told them. "YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I HAVE ASKED YOU, BUT EVEN WHEN YOU TRY TO ACT LIKE IT, I CAN TELL.. YOU DON'T SEEM TO REALLY WANT TO. YOU DO NOT LIKE PUZZLES IT SEEMS BUT YOU TRY THEM ANYWAYS. YOU JUST KEEP SHAMBLING ABOUT BUT ALSO MANAGE TO KEEP GOING. AND YOUR HANDS ARE SO FIDGETY. ITS LIKE YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY BUT CAN'T GET IT OUT. YOU... IT JUST... FEELS VERY FAMILIAR."

And those words... Sans felt even colder, he hadn't thought he could. And The 'Human'... It made them dig their feet deeper into the snow. Their fists clenched as they continued to snarl, but the shadows hid away their face.

"Fight me..." They ordered, but something in their voice sounded, felt, off.

"NO, SEE... THIS IS WHAT I MEAN, HUMAN. IT FEELS AS IF.. LIKE YOUR LIFE IS GOING DOWN SOME DANGEROUS PATH.. OR I AM NOT SURE.. BUT YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE SOMEHOW. AND I HAVE DECIDED... I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR FRIEND. YOU ARE HUMAN! I AM SUPPOSED TO CAPTURE YOU! THEN I AM SUPPOSED TO FULFILL MY LIFELONG DREAM! OF BEING POWERFUL! POPULAR! PRESTIGIOUS! WHEN SOMEONE ASKS ME: WHAT IS PAPYRUS? THAT IS WHAT I SAY. THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD." And yet Papyrus faltered again. "AND YET WHEN I LOOK AT YOU... ALL I SEE IS... YOU HAVE HATED EVERY SECOND BEING OUT HERE BUT YET YOU ARE STILL TRYING. YOU HAVE SO MUCH, GREAT POTENTIAL WITHIN YOU. SO EVEN IF IT MEANS... LOSING THE THINGS I HAVE WORKED UP FOR.. I WILL GLADLY BE YOUR-"

"FIGHT ME!" The 'Human' screamed. Sans hasn't moved, he's frozen, but The 'Human' was trembling. Trembling so much. How can one that small have so much pain- anger.. They pointed towards his brother. "You will start the Fight or so help me I will! I have to do something, and so help me..." Their voice trailed off... Their chest heaving. And Sans barely hears it, barely makes it out, when they start again. "It just has to be the same... Everything has to be the same..."

Papyrus was standing almost entirely still but then nodded.

"ALRIGHT." He said, almost gently. And Sans' felt sick as the world swirled with magic and the Fight commenced. The bright, red Soul... The 'Human's' breathing seemed to relax. Their entire stance... "IF THAT IS HOW I AM GOING TO GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS... THEN I WILL FIGHT YOU, HUMAN." The 'Human' swallowed but they took up their stance as they prepared. And then, they forced a smile. A forced, uneven, dulled smile...

"Well you know, Papyrus. I just have to play hard to get." They winked and to Sans' horror, blew a kiss... Papyrus didn't react how they seemed to want though. You could tell in how agitated their position changed. As Papyrus did not buy into their act and did not, this time, pretend to. "When all of this is done! We can go on a.." They faltered but pushed forward. "A date!"

Sans was frozen in abject horror, but Papyrus... his shoulders were falling.

"HUMAN..." But he did not seem to know what else to say. The red eyes closed again and Sans lost his breath as they swung their stick in front of them... but they miss Papyrus entirely... Like they weren't even trying...

The red eyes opened as they settled back in their place across from Papyrus, their lips pressed together tightly and their grip tightened and untightened and tightened again.. But they aren't looking at Papyrus, only the ground beneath his feet.

"But only after we Fight."

"...WELL... HUMAN... YOU MUST KNOW THAT I AM A SKELETON WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS."

"..." They did not respond at first, but then- "I have zero redeeming qualities." They admitted lowly, their head turning slightly away. Papyrus' expression was once again filled with real concern. Then, he lifted his head as he made a distraught expression.

"OH NO!" Papyrus exclaimed. "THAT HUMILITY..." The human was looking up again in surprise. "IT REMINDS ME OF, MYSELF! YOU'RE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS!"

"W-What?" The human began.

"JUST AS I SAID, HUMAN. YOU ARE MEETING ALL MY STANDARDS! PERHAPS I WILL HAVE TO GO ON THAT DATE WITH YOU.." The 'Human' seemed... a whirlwind of mix-matched emotions they did not seem to know what to do with, much like Sans felt at the situation... "BUT... I SUPPOSE IF WE MUST FIGHT FIRST..."

The 'Human' still had the same torn, confused expression even as Papyrus summoned an array of bones to send their way. They weaved in and out of them, but still, their expression, their clear torn feelings-

"Papyrus..." They shook their head seriously as they breathed- "You're... You're an idiot."

"HOW SELFLESS! TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT FIGHTING YOU... I DON'T DESERVE-"

But his reaction only made The 'Human' more upset on top of everything else.

"I can't believe you!" They shouted suddenly as they landed on the ground again and Papyrus' attacks stopped- They took a half step closer, their expression truly, genuinely angry. "How can you just- Why are you always so trusting?!"

Sans frowned at the sound of tears in their voice. And also how... they were asking that question, but they also seemed to already know the answer.

"You're just... you're so foolish for believing in people! In me! Just... I can't!" They shouted angrily. Their hand pressed to the top of their head. "Dammit, Papyrus!"

"HU-"

"NO!" They continued, lowering their hand and making a violent swinging motion with their hand that made Sans even more tense, if that were possible- "This is stupid! You're being stupid!" They lifted the stick again... Such a simple, seemingly harmless stick, but in those hands... "Just Fight me, Papyrus."

"I THOUGHT I WAS." He told them. "BUT AGAIN, HUMAN, THERE IS NO NEED TO LIE TO YOURSELF. YOUR BARDS HIDE A HIDDEN AFFECTION! YOU EMOTIONAL CACTUS."

They falter, just a bit, in their grip, in their expression, but it hardens again.

"Fight me." They ordered, and they swing their stick again.

"ALRIGHT THEN. LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE MY FABLED BLUE ATTACK!"

Blue Stop Signs.

Their body sagged beneath the weight of the magic on their Soul as they barely avoid the last white bone Papyrus sent their way.

"YOU'RE BLUE NOW!" Papyrus' voice is proud despite the weird twists and turns this Fight has taken. Sans surely can't make heads or tails of it... The 'Human' sighed softly, but it seemed as if they had gotten what they wanted... and the Fight continued. Them, swinging, missing, and Papyrus sending out his own array of attacks. And Sans... Sans staying off hidden on the sidelines, relieved that whatever the 'Human' was planning wasn't happening right then...

But at the same time... The 'Human' was breathing hard as they maneuvered sloppily with their Blue Soul through Papyrus' attacks. They appeared super uncomfortable... whether physically or just mentally Sans couldn't tell... And again there was the re-realization of just how tired they looked...

"Ah!" The 'Human' cried out and jerked back as they accidentally hit a white bone, only to more right into an awaiting Blue one. Pain was clear in their expression, and... Sans had to tilt his head, his face serious in his confusion. He felt... mostly certain that they should have been invulnerable to that... The 'Human' breathed through clenched teeth as they staggered out of the path of a third attack, and lucky for them the attack was over, and-

"H-HUMAN... PLEASE... THIS IS STARTING TO-"

"AAH!" The Human charged again, swinging, missing... but closer this time... just enough to get their point across...

"Fight. Fight like you're supposed to!" The 'Human' ordered. "Like you did for-!"

The 'Human cut off, biting down hard. Their face is a deep, enraged scowl.

And Papyrus... He sighed loudly, but in the end... obliged with a new array of attacks. The 'Human' moved through them, getting his squarely on the chest again at the very end. Sans expected them to take out a healing item, maybe one of those chocolate Nice Creams but they simply... swung once again at his brother, making Sans' entire world freeze before starting again as they missed.

"Come on... Tell me. Tell me what you'll finally get once you're in the Royal Guard." They ordered. Papyrus hesitated, but as he summoned more attacks he began to speak.

"WELL... I'D HAVE LOTS OF ADMIRERS! BUT..." Papyrus paused again as he watched The 'Human' jump over his attacks with uncertain difficulty. "BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WORTH IT IF I HAVE TO HURT YOU."

The 'Human' let out a furious growl and began to turn towards Papyrus... Only to lose their footing in the snow. Their feet slide out beneath them and their expression was open wide in true fear. A hand shot out to Papyrus but it was already too late, they were hitting bone; the very attacks they had just jumped over.

They cried out in pain, but there was no chance of escaping as another bone managed to strike them before Papyrus stopped the rest of his barrage short. And that last bone.. it punctured them right through the chest.

"HUMAN!"

Sans was frozen in true horror and confusion this time-

They should have been invulnerable for at least half of those attacks! There was no denying it this time-

The 'Human' had lifted a frantic hand to their chest as they struggled to breathe...

"HUMAN!" Papyrus was racing through the snow towards them.

It was a trap-

"paps!" Sans called as he teleported after him. Papyrus was a mass of frantic limbs as he crashed down next to the 'Human', but their tearful eyes were darkening quick. Papyrus held them, and Sans could see the 'Human's' hand lift weakly in a failed attempt to touch his glove.. Their head slumped against Papyrus' chest as that same hand fell into the snow.

Their Soul shattered.

"I...I.. HUMAN!"

Sans lifted a hand out towards his brother.

"p-paps.. it's..."

It's fine? How could he say that to his brother? They'd died by Papyrus' hand and there was no way for him to know they'd be back. Papyrus had killed them. Papyrus. That'd never happened before! Wait... That'd never happened before?

Sans stared at the child's- the 'Human's' broken body, feeling sick as he did, stuck in place as his brother began to cry. Papyrus never cried quietly and the tears always cut Sans down to the bone.. And this.. This and the sight of those deadened, brown eyes... Sans was horrified. He was in a nightmare. He couldn't breathe.

"kid, please, no…" He had to force himself to swallow and take a step back. His grief didn't make sense… And he was, in fact, grieving.

But it would be okay! The kid would be back, those red eyes unfortunately burrowing into Sans' Soul. Like nothing had happened. Like…

[CONTINUE]

There, see? The world around him was blurring. He was being pulled gently back throu- No. The world was clear again.

Sans blinked in surprise, still staring at the broken body in his sobbing brother's arms; who hadn't noticed a thing. What... What had that-That had almost felt dreadfully famil- **[CONTINUE]**

Sans was snapped back through time violently; forced into place. His mind was reeling for a second as he blinked, but he could make out the 'Human' as they stood in Snowdin. They were recoiling back, their hand flying from the mysterious place in the air that they had been touching before, and to their chest. They fell back into the snow as they tripped up and they were breathing hard as they lay there. Off to the side, some of the Monsters were giving them funny yet concerned looks. The red eyes stared at nothing as they hyperventilated.

And Sans...

Sans remembered. At least just a glimpse. Which in itself was something rare.

Their Soul shattering in Papyrus' hands.

And he knew... They'd almost died for real.

He knew they had almost not come back.


	4. Forgettable

Author's notes!::: OKAY SO I AM TRASH. I forgot this was on FF. So the chapters before this have been updated/changed, PLUS there are a bunch more chapters on AO3 same username, I am so sorry. I've only been able to focus on one thing at a time and even then it's been... hnnnngh. Anyways. Old here, new here, welcome or welcome back. I will update this every few days until it is caught up with AO3 if you'd prefer to space it out a bit. I'm sorry! And if you are reading any of the other fics on here hahahahaha omg I really am so sorry. So... So... sorry. T.T... especially if it's Keeping Hope Alive...

* * *

.

.

.

And they ran... They ran, and ran fast and frantic out of town. Past the Snowdin sign and back out the way they'd came... And Sans..

There was a sensation in his rib cage that is high and euphoric at the sight, and also at the slow, building realization... at what all this meant... at something that hadn't been true in a very long time... And so, when they ran, fast and frantic out of town, Sans was there to meet them...

He stood in his place by the bridge with hands in his pockets and a wide smile on his face.. The 'Human' came racing, their breathing still uneven and their entire posture, it's clear panic. It's clear that they had needed to escape from prying eyes, but Sans be damned if he gave it to them.

There is a morbid satisfaction Sans feels as they notice him standing there because its clear they hadn't been expecting him. It's also clear that in contrast to how they've acted this entire time- not caring if he say them outside of their act- they very much cared now. They turned their back towards him immediately and came to a sharp stand still.

And there was silence between them, Sans content in just letting his presence and perhaps his knowing, be known.

The 'Human' kept their back turned towards Sans but even so Sans could see they had begun to shake in their now-wet clothes, and how their hands lifted to cover their mouth and nose. Sans stayed smiling, it growing wider by the second.

And that was awful. He knew that. That was sick. But they were sick.

They deserved it. They deserved all of this and more.

Excuse him for not feeling as cut up about it as he could have been.

... The minutes pass..

Maybe more than a few minutes pass..

Finally, the 'Human' began to lower their hands.. slowly, tentatively... and they let out a few shuttered breaths. Their entire stance straightened and they held their grip in tight fists... Their shoulders arched even more upwards... almost protectively.. as they finally spoke weakly-

"S-Sans...?" They kept their gazed fixed forward toward Snowdin, not at all on Sans. He briefly considers not responding... To force them to look at him, to see if he was even there or had disappeared, but... that euphoria spurs him on..

"geez, kid... you look like something's got you super rattled. like you've been chilled to the bone." His voice is pure taunt, not a hint of true concern. The 'Human' stays standing with their shaking back turned, their fists tight.

"Sans... I need to... I need to ask you a favor..." Sans felt a fire stirring inside his chest, in his eyes.

"yeah?" He asked darkly. The 'Human' seemed to flinch and there was another tense moment...

"I have to make it to Asgore." They said finally, quickly, as if to get it out of the way.

Sans hummed, pretending to think it over.

"well... how about we just... i don't know... skip everything, huh? i can take you straight to asgore, and you can leave, or die, or whatever, and that'll be the end of it?"

Nobody dead and the thing in front of him gone forever. It sounded like a grand deal. Though a part of him, an extremely hurt part of him raged that it was not enough.. but he pushed that part down...

For now.

The 'Human', though, was shaking their head.

"oh?" Sans asks in fake curiosity. They cowered in on themselves.

But finally, after another moment, another round of gathering up their courage, what little bit of true determination they still held, the 'Human' began to turn to face him. Even so, they don't look up, not fully, instead they are staring at the base of his neck and Sans can just barely see the red through their uneven bangs...

"as long as you get to asgore whats the matter in how you do it?"

There really is no denying the flinch and that euphoria Sans feels... he knows what it is called... It's power... Power. Something he hasn't had in so long. Power.. Intoxicating power after being helpless for so long...

"I..." The 'Human' started... "I can't." The red eyes closed and they shook their head more forcefully. "I can't."

They just can't..

"I have to go through. I have to do all of this." All of this. As in the Underground. They just had to see every outcome, every option through hadn't they? Couldn't give up the game even if they were losing it, couldn't-

"I just... I'm not..." Sans wonders how painfully their nails are digging into their palms.. "I can't do it alone." Their breathing was quickening again, their head falling forward. "I need someone to keep me going. I'm not..."

They swallowed down thickly.. they again shook their head.

"I'm not asking you to help me get around, or make sure I don't have to FIGHT. I just..." There was a deep breath. "I just need someone to keep me going. I need.. I need you to back me up! So I don't give up!"

They shook a fist slightly as their voice grew weak...

"I need somebody to hold me accountable.."

"... **_accountable_**?" Sans asked. His eye socket twitched, on the verge of flaring dangerously. His nightmare. His bore bones. This anxiety and fear that wouldn't go away. He can't help but laugh. It's low. It's dark. It's menacing. The 'Human' looked up in terror, and just that knowledge, that reaction, it gave Sans the final push he needed. " ** _accountable_**... if we're holding you accountable then, why not talk about knives and glowing red eyes? the stuff of nightmares. and pain. lots of it."

Sans was unnaturally pleased at the expression they're wearing. The red eyes were wide and horrified. And damn, he hated them. He hated them so much. For what they did. To Papyrus. To him. They're sick. Twisted. And he hated them.

And now that he knew there was a chance he could actually do something about all this... If it weren't for that promise...

"let's stop pretending for a moment that you're actually human." Sans said, his chin falling dangerously.

They shrink back, taking a half a step away as they stare. He's enjoying every second of this, he can't deny it. Can't hide it.

"even if i don't remember everything, i know what you are. you... human? heh. no, kid, you... you are a demon. those red eyes from my nightmares. your twisted smile. you're a freak. a freak and a demon."

He could see them trembling even more. Good. Maybe they'd even get sick later, that would be a nice change. Just a bit of karma.

"and you have some gull to ask me for help." He spat. "i'm not buying it. i'm not playing your game." He laughed grimly at that. "you losing your determination? great. that means i actually have a chance to keep things safe. you giving up is my victory after all, isn't it?"

But something within them sparked at those words. Their terrified expression twisted in anger; teeth clenched as they breathed rapidly, as they glared at him with those fierce reds.

A demon through and through-

"and since you're not actually human, killing you wouldn't actually be a problem for me, right? and i'll do it. the moment you touch Papyrus or anyone else. yeah kid, i'll hold ya accountable… just this once."

Their anger snapped.

"How?!" They demanded.

"sorry?" Sans asked, his eye flaring to life, willing to just show them how, but they weren't phased in their burning anger.

"You can remember me?" They demanded as Sans' smile twisted. "Then how?"

They took a new step forward and the anger was radiating off of their entire being but Sans didn't back down even if he wasn't quite getting what they were getting at with this-

"How can you remember anything about me and forget them completely?!"

"who kid?" Sans taunted. And oh how they were seething in anger! Struggling to breathe as their face reddened.

"You..." They finally managed to grown but the anger was eating them up and they couldn't continue for a moment. Sans stood smug at their true colours finally showing. So much for the meek glances and small smiles... "How could you have forgotten everything?"

They more than anyone should know how that, the remembering and the forgetting, works. But Sans couldn't get in any snark as their voice broke, the red eyes saddened..

"Even if it's just a feeling... How..." They shook their head. "How can you just shove it aside so easily? How can you not... Not want to fight for it?"

"i don't know, i'm admittedly feeling pretty feisty at the moment tibia honest."

The embers in their eyes flared back to life; his did the same. Their face contorted and their fist rose, but then their fingers curled out and back in again. They wanted to hurt him, he could see it, but they stood still. Their teeth were still gritted together and they were struggling to keep their breath even. Finally they lowered their arms forcefully and kicked the snow in front of them in his direction, though it didn't reach him.

"you wanna have a go, kid?" He asked darkly.

"NO!" They shouted. "That's just it! I don't want to fight you! That's the entire point!"

How could so much rage be held within such a small body? Maybe they weren't exactly a demon. They were a house fire concealed in flesh.

"funny way of showing it then."

"You're just so frustrating!" They shouted. "What's the point of talking?! You won't listen! Ever! And you always know too much but at the same time never enough! Just..."

They were shaking, jerking, wanting to keep throwing insults at him, but-

"This isn't about me! Isn't about me at all!" They were saying. They were grasping at the sides of their head. "You stupid! Stupid!" They growled suddenly and they looked pointedly at Sans. " ** _IDIOT_**!"

They're heaving as they turned away from him and began to storm back towards Snowdin. Sans reached out his hand forcefully, grabbing their Soul.

He heard them gasp in terror as they felt it. He dragged them back, their body falling to the ground. He dragged them through the snow a ways, getting it under their shirt and up their pant legs before he released them. They twisted on the ground, turning back towards him, their elbows propping them up as they watched him murderously.

"sorry, just thought you needed to chill." He said blankly, but inside the euphoria had returned full force...

They don't SPARE him. They FLEE. And Sans lets them. He _lets_ them.

"do you think that anger will work as a substitute for determination?!" He called after them.

They twisted back and were shouting forcefully.

"I can stay determined just fine!" They raged. "And I will! Watch me! Just watch!"

Their anger spurred them around towards the town again. Sans continued to smile menacingly as he teleported knowingly and watched them storm up to the "mysterious" spot. They punched the air with a small scream and they stood there, breathing heavily as the fire in their eyes slowly died in realization. And Sans… A horrible weight was being lifted off of his chest and he laughed. Actually laughed, and his smile was real, though cruel.

Because now they couldn't even take that conversation back. They couldn't make him forget everything he knew unless they RESET, and he wasn't sure they even could.

Their hand fell, their fingers curling and uncurling, as if wanting something to hold as they stared at the empty space. They were murmuring to themselves again, and this time Sans could make out what it was.

"Stay determined." They were breathing. "Stay…."

But they weren't determined. And Sans knew it. And Sans… Sans could stop them. He could actually stop them.

If that's what it came down to! He actually had that option!

And there was an intense, utterly intense relief as they made their way out to face his brother...

But relief turned to tension when they were actually in front of Papyrus...

"HALT, HUMAN! HEY, QUIT MOVING! I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY-"

But the moment they were halfway to him Papyrus stopped short in soft realization and to Sans' horror, he was quickly on his knees and meeting them halfway in the hug.

Sans was frozen off to the side as he watched, but Papyrus... he only held them tighter after a silent moment..

"YEAH.. THIS IS ALL I WANTED TO SAY, TOO."


	5. Lies

Sans wasn't counting the amount of times Papyrus had wrung his wrists in the last hour and a half because it was a lot like the Resets, the specific number was already too painful. Papyrus in distress always put Sans in a twisted knot of emotions and this was no different. Except only maybe in the fact that it was worse... because the reason for it was their horrid, little guest.

The 'Human' was curled up warm and comfortable on the couch. Deep asleep.

They'd had a long day after all. The journey, the fighting all the way, playing along and lying. Crying.

Oh right, the crying... Their hug for Papyrus just not enough manipulation for them. They'd had to go and give those crocodile tears, too.

It was effective, anyways. In getting Papyrus to pick them up, carry them, as well as striking Sans exactly where it would hurt as he had watched from the sidelines. He hadn't noticed they were crying right away. They'd had their arms wrapped tightly around Papyrus' neck and their face hidden and buried as they'd been carried across the battlefield. But the shaky movement of their body, the sharp gasps, the realization came even though Sans didn't believe it at first. Comprehend...

But oh.. once he comprehended...

He was utterly enraged.

But cruelly, unfairly... there had been nothing Sans could do.

And that only enraged him even more.

Sans had just felt the tiniest bit of sudden, unexpected control, and they had ripped it away just as quickly.

And worst yet, it was his brother. The thing most important to Sans, his brother.

"just go meet up with her but not tell her anything specific. be vague. it's not technically lying it you don't really say anything after all." Sans told his brother who had wrung his wrist yet again. Sans' words only seemed to make Papyrus even more distressed.

"I DO NOT LIKE IT." Papyrus countered.

No, Sans didn't think he did.

But if Papyrus really was set on doing this. Protecting them, helping them, even against Undyne, then it really had to be done.

"just give your report about things you actually did, but just omit the details regarding our.. guest."

Papyrus sighed, his shoulders falling, and Sans knew that he'd finally caved. Even if he didn't like it.

"RIGHT. BUT I STILL JUST... I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEM ALONE."

"undyne will only be worried and come running after ya if you don't go meet up with her like usual. you never miss a meeting." Still, Papyrus' expression. "and besides, they won't be alone. they got me, right?"

Papyrus perked up a bit and Sans thought he was about to nod but then Papyrus scowled.

"BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR WORK?!" He demanded. Sans shrugged.

"heh. does it really matter if i slack off here or there." Papyrus nearly stomped in frustration but resisted in consideration to their sleeping guest.

"UGH. BUT EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT CONDONE THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AT ALL, I MUST ADMIT THAT AT THE MOMENT IT IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE."

Yeah... but Sans knew that the two of them didn't see what that 'good cause' as the same thing. But still..

"always, paps." Sans said with a real smile. "besides, my job is to look out for humans, and well, technically, i'm looking out of this one if i stay here, right?" Papyrus sighed in frustration, but after a moment, Sans caught the genuine shadow of a smile on his face. But only a shadow as his brother turned back towards the human on the couch and once again... his hands fidgeted nervously.

"OKAY." Papyrus said inching towards the door. "REMEMBER, THERE IS SPAGHETTI IF THEY WAKE UP."

"haven't forgotten, bro." Sans promised.

"GOOD."

Papyrus hesitated one last time...

"NO. LET ME PREPARE IT REAL QUICK. JUST IN CASE THEY WAKE UP BEFORE I AM BACK."

"paps-" But there was no stopping him, Papyrus was already in the kitchen. Quickly fixing them a bowl that he put down carefully, even in his rushed state, beside the base of the couch.

"THERE."

Papyrus stood, watching them... and then... Then, finally...Finally, Papyrus was gone, out the door. Sans kept his smile plastered to his face for a few moments after. Waiting. But slowly, it became less genuine. Slowly it darkened and the lights in his sockets went out. Sans turned his attention back to the thing on the couch... The thing that had wiggled itself into his brother's rib cage and planted itself there like a nasty weed. Speaking of nasty weeds, Sans wondered if they knew anything about that flower Paps liked to talk about. The one that put Sans into an uneasy mood... It wouldn't have surprised Sans to learn that they were somehow involved with that too.

Involved in all the worst problems in Sans' life.

Sans huffed and leaned up against the wall. Watching them. His internal hatred rising higher every second, just eating away at him as he let his mind and attention linger. As he just let his resentment have its way with his emotions.

To Sans' surprise, it's not long before the 'Human' moaned sharply, their head turning on their pillow. It's yet another surprise to watch them jolt back awake, a sharp gasp of fear from their chest as they sat up... as if from a nightmare.

Sans was frozen in his place, watching them... The 'Human' let out a long breath and the red eyes closed as they lifted a hand to their forehead. The resentment Sans had felt began to transform into something smug again. The control they'd shattered with their tears was returning with the re-realization that tears were the only thing they had.

That they were failing, losing...

He'd thought of them as fast asleep, but watching them now... Their entire posture and expression... They looked worn and beaten. Bags under their eyes, that flinch in pain at the headache they couldn't hide.

The confidence and power were swelling up inside him.. So intoxicatingly warm in his rib cage..

"he made you spaghetti."

The 'Human' jolted then froze. The red eyes were wide, staring at the wall ahead of them. Their breathing that had only just begun to even out picked up again, quick. That only made the feeling inside Sans' chest stronger.

The 'Human' swallowed and began to turn their head, looking over to were Sans stood against the wall, half cast in shadow, his sockets still dark but his smile returned yet menacing. After all, with Papyrus gone, all hostilities could be on the table.

"that was quite the performance you gave him."

They did not speak, but they cast their eyes downward to avoid him.. only to notice the bowl of spaghetti. It had to be cold again, but it wasn't like it was edible to begin with. The 'Human' moved slowly, deliberately, as they bent down over the side of the couch and picked up the bowl and offered fork. And just as slowly, carefully, they looked over the contents of said bowl.. a sadness worked its way into their eyes, but then they smiled. It's forced and fake, but they manage it as they pretend to ignore Sans. Twirling their fork, they eyed the dish with dread before taking a small bite.

They sputtered instantly.. sticking out their tongue.

"Oh god- I'd-" They coughed, but the sadness that had been there beneath their smile began to disappear. The smile became a bit more genuine even as the red eyes closed. "I'd honestly forgotten how bad he was. It's worse than I remember."

They breathed in, tilting their head back and prepared themself.

They took another bite.

The 'Human' shook their head and gulped it down.

"I can't..." They half laughed, putting the fork to the side of the bowl again. "I really can't.."

Sans hadn't moved nor changed his expression. Maybe it had grown darker, more murderous, but he kept still. He was not impressed by their show.

The 'Human' stopped and sighed sadly again... The fork had moved back into the mix of noodles, pushing them around aimlessly, twirling them back and forth. They flicked at the bits of cardboard that could have passed as meat... if they really, really used their imagination.

"Believe it or not.. it only takes him six months with Mom to get him to make something edible..."

Sans glared at them.

"They always loved his ultimate cinnamon friendship pancakes with maple syrup." They continued and Sans' glared intensified. What were they getting at? What was their angle now-? "He made it for them every morning for a month straight once he got it down. But then one day, he... He started to make chocolate chip pancakes, too... Specifically for me..." They bit down on their bottom lip. Not softly, weakly, but hard. It had to be painful- "I didn't realize it at first."

There was silence... but then... the red eyes forced themselves upwards. Forced themselves to meet his terrible gaze.

"I really do like your brother." They seemed to promise.

The anger... the rage...

They could see it growing deep inside him and they quickly looked away... but they did not have the sense to. stop. talking.

"He... He was the only one to even realize I was there after we were up on the surface. Maybe you had your suspicions, sure, until Frisk actually told you. But he... he actually knew me. He _liked_ me..."

Sans can't help but curl his fingers tightly.

All that they were saying was making all of this so much worse. Talking about a timeline that had now never come to pass. Because of _them_. What _they'd_ done. What they always _do_.

The 'Human' flinched..

"I... I know you don't trust me." They said weakly. "And that.. I have no right to expect you to! You're right. I'm horrible. A demon!" Their face twisted painfully, and Sans could hear the tips of the fork scratch against the ceramic of the bowl. "I've ruined everything..."

"you're not helping your cause here none, pal." Sans growled.

"I'm sorry!" They cried, the red eyes closing. There is real pain in their voice, but Sans blocked it out, he snarled and hunched his shoulders as he seethed.

"Sorry-" Sans began, wanting to chew them out like they oh so deserved, but they weren't done. Their voice continued quickly, forcefully.

"I know I can't fix it. Change it.. Even if I RESET a hundred times, destroy the world and put it back again, I know that! But I need your help! Because even if I can't get everything back I can still do this! This one thing! What they'd have done! What they did! I can at least Save something from all of this!" Their breath was shuttering, those tears working themselves back up again perhaps... But they forced themself to calm.. steady... "Just... Help me get everyone up to the surface and you don't ever have to see me again... Please..."

Sans was breathing in and out forcefully. Trying not to let his magic explode around him and to just attack them right there..

"help you..." He managed at last, all but spitting out his words.. "when you're implying we've already been there and lost it all. sorry if i don't find myself all too interested."

They twisted away from him, their small frame shaking...

"It was an accident."

Their voice is just as small.

"riiiiiiiiiight." Sans managed not to laugh. "and killing everyone, too, I guess."

They were tense, their shoulders blocking their face from him.

"I had to get them back..." They whispered.

Sans scoffed.

"you know you keep referring to 'them' this and 'they' that, but i'm thinking it's all just another part of the game."

Their shaking had gotten worse as he had spoken and Sans had anticipated them bursting into tears again, but the change is instantaneous once it happens. One moment they were cowering, shaking on the couch, and the next they were staring him down; a comet burning itself up with its own rage.

" **Frisk**." They hissed. " **FRISK**!"

Sans found himself shrinking back a bit, just for a moment, and just unsure why-

"My- _**Our** _best friend!"

The lunacy of it helped Sans push the unease away with a small laugh.

"if they were hanging out with you, they couldn't be all that great." He shot. He'd just made the flames hotter- they shattered like tempered glass.

"Don't talk like that!" They shouted, the plate of spaghetti teetering dangerously on the edge of the couch as they leaned forward. "You'll regret it!"

"is that another threat?" Sans asked dangerously.

The 'Human' flinched back this time, blinking a few times...

"N-no..." They said, the anger was working its way out of them.. "Just..." They swallowed down as they composed themself. The red eyes closed again. "Just.. if you knew what you were saying.. You wouldn't want to talk like that.."

"oh so you know me now?"

They turned their head away from him again but this time looked up at the ceiling.

"Honestly... I might know you better than you know yourself at this point..."

The rage is still there, burning in Sans, but this knowledge, this possible fact of life, sat heavily on Sans' shoulders. He really did feel sick. At how much control they'd- but he had to remind himself that they were damaged, struggling in their own determination- even as they continued to speak..

"I can read you, you know?" They asked softly. "So can Frisk. They were maybe better at it, but... between the two of us, yeah... we know you..."

The silence...

"You're unsettled," They began again, breaking it, "but that's unavoidable; I'm unsettling. You're angry and that's another given, you have every right to be. I..." The silence again... Something dark... seemed to float in between the two of them.. but then they shook their head. "I just need to make it to Asgore and you can enjoy the surface with your brother."

Sans grabbed their Soul.

The 'Human' screamed as they were lifted roughly into the air, the plate of spaghetti clattering to the floor-

 **"if you think i'm falling for anything you have to say this time, then you don't know me at all."** The fear in their red eyes that was so satisfying was too soon scorched away as their anger consumed them, but before they could get a word in, Sans felt something off as he tighten his grip on their Soul. He blinked but then let his magic flow over them. He couldn't help but smile. "nice hp."

 **5/15**

"what happened to it?" He taunted.

"What happened to yours?" They spat back. His grip on their Soul tightened even further and they yelped at the painful sensation-

Sans hated them. He _**hated** _them.

He yanked them closer, holding them above his eye level in the air. The true fear had returned in their expression and he loved it just as much as he hated them-

"you're on your way out for good and you're just trying to use me. and use paps. and i won't stand for that. all you care about is your one last win, and i don't care to help ya with it."

"But what I want is what's- no." They stopped, their eyes closing even as their face gave away their discomfort from their position in the air. "You expect me to stab you in the back. To leave you all behind after taking what I want." They were clutching at their chest, the discomfort only growing and growing and their inability to hide it along with it. The red eyes opened again, a look that was almost genuinely pleading- "S-Sans..."

Yeah, yeah, yeah... What they wanted was to get monsters to the surface. blah blah blah. He's heard it. But like they've also said before, there's no way for him to believe that. Trust that.

But-

"You're right, I'm on my way out... But getting you all to the surface is the only reason I made it back at all!"

Sans laughed lowly.

"right, **_kid_**. like you're anything else but scared to die. you don't care about us. you don't care about anyone."

His grip on their Soul is too tight now, but he doesn't care.. even as he can see them wriggling in the air and struggling to breath.

He doesn't care..

Those red eyes can stare in fear.

"if it weren't for pap and a foolish promise i'd have killed you right there in the snow. maybe have tossed you over that bridge."

He chuckled.

"you can try to convince me all you want but i'm never helping you. in fact, i might even make your life a living hell while you still have it."

His smile widened.

"You stubborn idiot." They breathed. "You. stubborn. **idiot**!" They managed to rage heatedly, leaning closer to him. "You just don't know when to listen! Maybe I'm on my way out but I'm also the only one who knows how to get us to the surface!"

"the king killing you sounds alright to me." He hadn't realized they could get even angrier.

"How can you be so SELFISH?! DO YOU HAVE ANY **IDEA** HOW MUCH HE IS-"

"SANS?! HUMAN?!"

It's possible that to an outsider, the next few seconds could have been nearly hilarious.

The two had frozen. One with his hand and eye still glowing, his expression wide and horrified as he stared at his captive and they stared just as horrified back with their arms and limbs frozen twistedly in the air where they had just been kicking and throwing a tantrum before.

Sans threw them unceremoniously back onto the couch just as Papyrus opened the door in time to see the careless action.

"SANS!" Papyrus exclaimed in shock, he bounded to the 'Human's' side as they recovered.

 **4/15**

 **[FLEE]**

Their Soul disappeared as they stared up at Papyrus anxiously. Sans was frozen in place.

"P-Pap." They began.

"HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Papyrus turned to Sans before the 'Human' could even answer. "SANS, WHAT WERE YOU DOING?! THAT DID NOT LOOK LIKE TAKING CARE OF THE HUMAN!"

Well... From a certain perspective...

"Pap." The human began again, grabbing Papyrus' arm.

Sans had to stop himself from glaring death at them, knowing where this was going. Those crocodile tears again. And what could Sans say to defend himself when Pap had basically caught him in the act? No, not basically. He had caught him.

"It... It was my fault." The trembling 'Human' told Papyrus. Sans blinked and began to stare in disbelief. What? What were they doing? "I asked Sans if... well... I'd heard so much about your Blue Attack before fighting you and I hadn't even gotten to see it!" They continued more convincingly. "Sans was showing me how it worked, and we sort of got carried away."

"BUT I HEARD YELLING..." Papyrus said. They offered him the brightest smile and Sans felt the hit to his chest as their eyes closed. With the red eyes hidden and their smile like that... Sans felt... He didn't know what he felt... but it hurt.

"It was just too fun!" They told him merrily. "Like flying!"

It... The red eyes opened again. He hated them. He hated to see them lie to his brother.

"I'm sorry, I know I should have eatin' more of the spaghetti before we played." They looked at the mess on the ground somberly. "We ruined it..." They looked back up to Papyrus. "Sorry."

Papyrus had a curious expression on his face.

"S-SO YOU TWO WERE PLAYING?" He asked. The 'Human' closed their eyes and offered him another smile as they nodded brightly. "OH! I... I AM SO GLAD YOU TWO ARE FRIENDS NOW TOO!" His smile grew. "NOW YOU HAVE TWO FRIENDS TO MAKE SURE YOU AREN'T LONELY!" Sans caught the flash of pain in their eyes, but only for a second.

"I can't be lonely with you!" They told him earnestly. Papyrus was beaming.

"OF COURSE NOT!" He declared. But then he turned to Sans. "BUT SANS! THE HUMAN IS STILL REALLY WEAK! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER! I KNOW YOU'RE LAZY BUT I DID NOT THINK YOU WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE LIKE THAT!"

"what can i say? the kid was feeling a bit blue, how could i resist?"

"SANS!"

"heh. sorry bro. we'll be more careful next time."

"MAKE IT NO TIME!" Papyrus advised. Sans shrugged.

"eh. too much work anyways." Papyrus looked down at the spaghetti.

"HERE! I WILL MAKE YOU SOME MORE TO HELP YOU GET WELL!" He said, picking up the plate and scooping the noodles on with his gloved hand.

"A-actually." The 'Human' began. "I'm really tired still... I think I'll just sleep it through."

"ARE YOU NOT HUNGRY?" They thought a second.

"No..." Sans lifted what would have been an eyebrow. He didn't think the 'Human' was lying, but he hadn't seen them eat anything all day. "I'm just too tired I guess." They said, slouching into the couch.

"OH! OKAY, HUMAN! THEN I WILL MAKE YOU SOMETHING GREAT IN THE MORNING! HERE I WILL TUCK YOU IN LIKE SANS DOES ME!" Papyrus continued excited, setting the plate down and grabbing the blanket. "AND IF YOU WISH I CAN READ YOU A STORY! I'LL PICK OUT MY FAVORITE ONE!"

"T-that's okay." They said. "I just want to sleep. Maybe later?" They asked. Their eyes opened a bit in alarm, seeming to have realized something.

"WHAT IS IT, HUMAN?"

"N-nothing." They lied this time. "Don't worry about it, it can wait." They assured. "I just want some sleep."

"IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, YOUR NEWEST, BESTEST FRIEND, WILL BE THERE TO HELP." They smiled softly.

"I know you will Papyrus, thanks..." He tucked them in and patted their shoulder through the blanket, a smudge of spaghetti sauce remaining though Pap didn't seem to notice, nor did the 'Human' really care.

"WELL GOODNIGHT THEN, HUMAN!" He said as he stood up. "SANS?"

"yeah, i'll be up in a sec, bro..." Papyrus went up the stairs. The 'Human' and Sans watched him go for a second. Sans stared at the human coldly. "i'm right there you know." He told them. "try anything and i'll end it no matter how paps feels about it." They press their lips together. They glance up the stairs nervously after Papyrus. Sans' brow raised curiously, they seemed to have something on their mind but they didn't bring it up, and Sans... just didn't care.

"I won't try anything, Sans." They said finally. "I promise... I really am tired." Sans huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets as he moved towards the stairs.

"i still won't ever believe you." He told them darkly. They shifted, turning over so their face was towards the back of the couch.

"It doesn't matter." They whispered angrily. "I don't need you."

Sans began to make his way up the stairs, that warmth, confident but twisted warmth, right there in his rib cage...

They were lying again.

"sweet dreams." He mocked at he reached the top of the stairs. He glanced back down with a knowing smile, but they simply laid back farther and covered their head with the blanket.

Their dreams would be anything but sweet.


	6. Homesick

...

...

...

..They were sick.

Sick.

And yeah, Sans knew he had been thinking that since the moment he "first" saw them, but right then they were really sick. Something was running out of their nose and they could barely keep those red eyes open as their face flushed just as red and they barely managed to talk. They were dangerously hot to the touch.

Was this some cruel joke? Some lesson in being careful about what you wished for? Because Sans had wished this on them, had even helped it along, and now look who was stuck with them? If it was a lesson, Sans would just have to wish for happy things from now on. Like that they'd die from it. Humans did that, right? Got sick and died? Oh yeah, Old Lady, he took care of the kid, had them all snug on the couch and fed 'em, it just couldn't have been helped. So sorry. Tried real hard, oh man did he try real hard.

But no, he wasn't even being ironic or sarcastic with that, Sans really was being forced to try hard. Papyrus was all over them before Sans could convince him out of the house again, this time for the human's own good. That much doting couldn't be healthy for somebody who was already super unhealthy. Sans could barely keep the spaghetti from being forced on the half asleep thing, the biggest MERCY Sans would ever find himself offering to something like them.

He hated them, and he loved his brother, but even so... For all their sakes, it was best if Papyrus went to work, and later Sans would pop by his station in Waterfall to give Undyne the illusion that he was working just as much as usual (which meant not much).

He was only doing this for Papyrus, not them. Pap would be devastated if the thing died under their watch. Somehow, even when Sans had the power, they found a way to spite him. Was it them or the universe that loved to mock him? Or was it simply both?

"Chocolaate."

And Sans swore they weren't making things any easier.

They were apparently starting to feel a bit better at least, if they were talking again, but Sans was still having to force them to eat something good for them. Which was funny considering Sans' own habits. But he didn't have organs and an immune system to worry about.

"not what the doctor ordered." Sans said pushing the spoon back to their face. They reluctantly ate the soup.

"You're not that type of doctor..." They managed after a pained swallow.

"not a doctor at all." They laughed, but it only hurt their throat and they coughed. Good. Though the interaction unsettled him a bit, more than usual. It had felt like they'd known something he didn't. He hated that. He forced another spoon to their mouth before they were really ready.

"Nm!" They whined. Sans' smile twitched. "Ice creams' good for the throat." They tried.

"nope." He deadpanned. They huffed out angrily.

"Just think if Paps saw how you were treating his poor, sick friend." Sans stopped, the lights in his eyes disappearing.

It's manipulative, he recognizes it right away, that sort of baiting... but he does not have to put up with it anymore.

"well i'm not your friend and i don't give a damn." He growled. They didn't speak, in fact it looks like this fact might upset them as they glanced downwards. It only encouraged Sans to take another swing. "and from what i've seen, paps is the only one you got, though if we could say you're really his back with all you've done is another story..."

They flinched and seemed hurt at that.

Again... Good.

But this time... they didn't seem to be recovering. They were deflating, sinking in on themself. Any momentum they had gained from their spite with Sans forcing them to sit up and eat something was leaving them.

"Frisk..." Sans froze again. Their voice was hushed and pained, as if they just couldn't help it. The word, the name, escaped them with an edge of despair. It cut through the air like a knife.

Sans lifted the spoon again, refusing to note how his fingers shook just the slightest bit.

"hey.." He said bitterly. "there's still soup left. don't make me get out the spaghetti."

They lifted their chin and took the silent bite. Sans drew his hand back and watched as he heard their sniffling increase again. Sans frowned but prepared another spoonful. They were finishing this thing whether they liked it or not.. But when they lifted their head to obey again Sans could see the tears drifting down their cheeks. His grip on the spoon is impossibly hardened as they took the next bite. They seemed to be having a bad time breathing, and Sans shoved the rag they'd been using for their nose back at them. They grabbed it, but didn't use it right away.

"I miss them, Sans..." They managed before finally breaking out into small sobs they could no longer suppress. They pressed the rag to their mouth and nose. "I m-miss them..."

It was the fever. Nothing more. Fever- and manipulation. And even if it wasn't. If it was some semblance of real...

Sans lowered the spoon into the bowl and watched them continue to cry feeling utterly... unmoved..

His voice came out distant.. cold..

 **"then maybe you shouldn't have killed them."**

It was as if Sans had just punctured them through the chest with bone.

The sobs that they had been trying to at least control were now unstoppable and it was all they could do to keep themselves breathing. They collapsed in on themself, leaning against the back of the couch as they kept their face hidden away from him. And Sans sat... horrified.

Sans hadn't had a way of knowing what had happened to their so-called Frisk, he had just made a shot in the dark, something to rile them up. Maybe out of anger, maybe out of defense even, but this.. he hadn't expected this. And this... Fire and rage was a lot easier to deal with than this. And to know that they'd really- Sans didn't know how to feel. He felt...

"god... you really are that sick." He breathed, feeling something twisting inside him. It's entirely repulsed, shocked even. The "Human" pulled their knees up towards their chest as they coward away from him. Or maybe from themself. And Sans... He'd known they were cruel, playing with everyone's emotions, but this... "to call someone your friend when you did something like that to them. sane with paps." The shock was fading fast as the anger rose up again and his teeth clenched. He leaned in dangerously. "someone like you should be burning in **hell**."

The "Human" only buried their face deeper into the couch as they sobbed violently.

And still... Sans felt nothing for them. Nothing at all. Except...

Sans stood up and went into the kitchen. He placed the bowl of unfinished soup on the counter and again he could not help but note the shaking of his hand... and with it to notice.. he was shaking. All over he was starting to shake. He kept staring at his hands in surprise. But it shouldn't be a surprise. It's the anger and rage. Except it's also... something else. It was hard to breathe... and the cries from the other room weren't fading.. It made Sans shake even more and he forced a harsh teleport upstairs to his room.

The only sound was the constant, irregular noise of his trash tornado as he leaned back against the side of his bed. It's like a white noise as he stared into the darkness, the anger draining out of him now that he was away from the thing downstairs, but with the fading anger that other thing was coming into clear, painful focus.

It's numb... Weighted down.. Like nothing mattered again.

Sans' shoulders slumped and his eyes closed; as if he could block out this feeling with another layer of perpetual darkness.

... Heh...

He was grieving.

Grieving for someone he couldn't put a face to. Grieving for someone he couldn't even remember.

... He wished he could say it was an unfamiliar feeling.

.. But what did it matter? They were gone... He could only protect what was still here. And he... He could do that. For once in all of this, he could actual do something to protect...

He had failed Frisk, but he wasn't going to fail anyone else... Not this time.

... Sans can't teleport into his workshop. It's one of the few places he knows that's like that. When he opens the door and turns on the light, they flicker lazily for a moment before conceding to staying on. It smells of dust, but its normal dust. Built up from Sans' lack of giving a damn. He doesn't know how long its been since he's been down here. Perhaps just a week ago in his memories, but Resets ago? Who knew... He gave up. There was no point in even trying.

When the world had been shoved back into place a few days ago, the air biting and refusing to settle back into place properly Sans had been straight up too afraid to come down here. Of what he might find or wouldn't find. Sometimes not knowing was better. Not when you couldn't do anything about it. Not when you were helpless. It would only help drive in how utterly useless you'd become. Like the machine at the end of the hall. Unfixable and unworking...

But now.. there was something in Sans' step. There had to be something down here this time. And perhaps at the very least... He had the right to know what it was that he was grieving. That's something he hadn't had the luxury of last time.

Sans made his way to the drawers anxious.

He didn't know or remember how, but sometimes he'd find something that shouldn't have been there. He didn't even know if he was the one to put them there in some other timeline, or if... Just 'or if'...

But if it was him, he'd like to have a word because it was never something helpful or clear. It was always something like yellow flower petals, for instance, or in this case...

A picture. Several pictures...

It's the clearest something he has ever found in these drawers... At least that he could remember... and it surprised him...

Because they were pictures... and even worse... pictures he didn't remember having taken.

Sans was shaking again as he grabbed the first one.

They were there. The "Human" was there. Smiling brightly as they leaned their elbow against Sans' shoulder. They towered over him; a teenager. Almost an adult. Their smile was bright and their eyes closed as they offered the person taking the photo a "V" for victory. Papyrus was behind them, offering the same gesture. And Sans...

He was smiling.

And worse yet...

He was smiling, but he looked happy.

His smile was as bright as theirs and his sockets closed as if he was giving off a laugh.

And worse and worse yet...

He's wearing a t-shirt printed to look like a tux, and on his head...

He knows that type of hat. You'll find old cards in the dumps with them printed on the covers, Monsters had adopted it in their own sorts of ceremonies.

That's a graduation cap.

Sans was wearing a graduation cap..

As the "Human" was happy. As his brother was happy. And as Sans was...

There was a bright blue sky above them.

That...

That could not be the thing sobbing on his couch. That couldn't be... This couldn't be real!

He lowered the photo and looked at the rest of the drawer without really looking, unable to fathom it all. Several years on the surface he didn't remember, where he was apparently happy. He couldn't look at these photos... He couldn't remember, and he didn't want to know anymore. He dropped the photo and went to shut the drawer before something off to the side caught his eye. It was another photo, but it was older and more creased, as if it had been folded and unfolded a lot more than several times. He picked it up to find that it had another photo attached to it. An identical photo but less worn that had a sticky note.

"even the worse person can change", it told him.

Sans' eyes darkened as he stared at the two identical photos. But they definitely weren't from the same timeline, he wouldn't do that to himself. This meant they'd gotten to the surface at least twice and had ended up back here. Even after living up there for what was years. After being happy... That thing upstairs would never be happy. Not really.

But soon it probably wouldn't matter. They had run their course. This was it. They were done doing this. Their little game was over.

Except... It wasn't a game. It was never a game! Not for him.. Not for everyone down here... Only to _**them**_.

 ** _It_**.

But why?

Why had they done this? All of this?! They really were sick! They'd lived with the Monsters! They'd- And then they really had RESET and **killed** everyone!

They'd been given love and they had paid everyone back with gaining LOVE. Even their so-called best friend? Somebody Sans had loved too? This was all just... This was all just too much. Sans couldn't understand. He didn't want to understand. He was revolted. It was disgusting. It was... It made no sense! But it didn't have to did it? They'd done it just because they could. That was the only thing Sans could think of. They'd done it just because they could...

But now they couldn't.

Sans took the worn, creased photo in his hands and tore it quickly in two along with the attached note.

That Sans that had written that note, that had folded and unfolded that picture a thousand times questioning himself and his reality, that had finally given them that chance. That small bit of trust. That had dared to hope. Well _this_ Sans knew better.

And this Sans could **end** it.

He stormed up the stairs and made a straight line to the front door. With each step his anger grew and grew and his certainty at what he was going to do next along with it.

Forget promises to old ladies behind foreboding doors. Forget all his caution and his wait and see judgement. He knew enough and he had his chance. Even if the old lady ended up hating him, even if Papyrus could not understand. It's what's best. It's what had to be done. And for once he can and he's going to.

The magic is already pooling deep inside his eye as he prepares to conjure something. His intent is sharp and certain.

He opened the door to the house, fully ready with the plan in his mind..

But it is immediately derailed at the sight of Papyrus.

... Of course...

It's just another cruel twist from the universe..

But while the magic begins to calm inside him, the certainty and intent do not.

"SANS!" Papyrus is sitting on the couch beside it, the "Human". They were still wrapped in covers and clutching their snot rag. The tears had dried but their face was still flushed and stained. It was obvious that they had been crying to anyone who'd take the time to notice. Like Papyrus. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I THOUGHT YOU WERE WATCHING OUR GUEST."

".. i went to see if there was anything at the shop that could help em feel better."

"OH!" Papyrus got excited. "DID YOU?"

"nah... nothing for humans anyways." Or whatever the hell they actually were. Or maybe they really were just human. Humans were supposed to be the worst, after all. Maybe it's just the whole lot of them.

"OH." Papyrus seems less excited now, only concerned.

"I don't need anything..." The "Human" said weakly. "I just..."

They hesitated but it is already too late. Papyrus had gotten whim of a potential whim.

"YES? WHAT IS IT?"

Sans' clenched fist was painful as he could see the thoughts going through their head. They were clearly working up to something..

"There's been something I've been needing to ask you..." They said, their voice is still so coarse, it's grating.. "I was wondering if we could... could g-go on a... d... If we could hang out? Like friends."

Sans wanted to kill them right then and there. Even in front of Papyrus... but there is no way he can hurt Papyrus like that.. Especially at the bright, beaming face his brother was making- He just wished it was someone else making him smile that way. Someone else who actually meant and deserved it.

"OH WOWIE! OF COURSE!"

"yeah. all three of us can do something fun." Sans interjected. The "Human" glanced his way and Sans is pleased by the near horrified expression on their face. Papyrus doesn't seem to notice it, though because he is focusing on Sans.

"BUT SANS! YOU HAVE TO GO TO WORK."

"i-"

"YOU SAID WE SHOULD KEEP UNDYNE FROM WORRYING! YOU HAVE TO GO TO WORK AND REPORT IN." Sans sighed. If only Undyne would burst through those doors right that second-

Sans looked at the "Human" again... He supposed they couldn't do much. Standing, even, made them dizzy. Any hangout would probably end up being Papyrus showing them his room and talking about stuff The "Human" already knew.

It... would be fine... Just this once it would be fine.

"alright, alright." Sans sighed. He stepped forward and grabbed his joke book off of the end table. As he did, he met the red eyes' gaze. "i'll be back in a jiffy, though." He promised. Pointedly promised.

The red eyes darted quickly away.

... It's weird... Sans had loved them once, hadn't he? Then why? When he saw those eyes... Why did he feel nothing? Not even an echo of it. All he felt was hate. He hated them. The only time there seemed to be anything at all was when they were acting like someone else...

Was that because they had done nothing but act when they had been on the surface?

... "you be careful, paps."

"DON'T WORRY! I WILL BE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH THE HUMAN!"

That was totally not what Sans had meant.

When Sans got to waterfall, he immediately sat down at his station and opened up the joke book and immersed himself in it. It's actually a science book... Science hidden behind a set of jokes... Or maybe it was a set of jokes pretending to know science. Hell if he knew anymore. If he knew anything anymore...

Luckily it doesn't take long for Undyne to appear.

She looks as frustrated as Sans felt.

And Sans wasn't going to help.

"haven'y seen a thing all day." Sans told the fully armored Captain of The Royal Guard. Well almost fully armored. She held her helmet under her arm.

"BUT WHERE THE HELL COULD THEY BE?!" She raged. "I've searched everywhere! They should have been here by now after the reports I've received but it's like they disappeared. I even called the hotel in Snowdin but nothing! And Papyrus doesn't know where they are either!"

Wow, Paps had actually lied? Or had he just answered a different question than what Undyne thought? Probably that one. A not exactly lie. Or maybe he just really cared about the horrid little thing that much... But how could he have been convincing about it? Maybe Undyne had just been to flustered to notice?

"Are you sure they couldn't have gotten by while you were slacking off?" Undyne accused. Sans thought a moment.

"it's possible."

Undyne growled and looked to the trail ahead.

"UGH! You're so useless sometimes!"

"hmm. only sometimes? man, i'm still working too hard then."

That only made it worse. Undyne growled even more furiously and began to storm off. Unfortunately in the opposite direction of Snowdin...

But suddenly she stopped and turned back to him.

"Seriously though. Don't you even care about getting to the surface?! About everyone's hopes and dreams?!"

But she didn't wait for an answer, too worked up in her righteous fury...

And Sans... He sat at his station a bit longer watching after her...

The anger is back in its entirety.

When Sans got back to the house, he made his way back down into the workshop... The picture was on the floor in two pieces and Sans bent down to pick it up...

Each of them smiling. Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, The King, ... the old lady, The Queen... and Sans...

The sky above them.

Of course he cared...

He cared...

And he could afford to care..

Sans stood up and shoved the two pieces of torn picture into his pocket. A reminder as his certainty was transforming.

He was getting this back.

One way or another he was getting this back.

But it's not going to be on their terms this time, it's going to be on his.


	7. Of Course

_a brother's love_

* * *

"mornin'.. though i'm not sure it's a good one." The red eyes glared down at him as he remained smiling his widest, most perpetual smile. They didn't say anything at first, just kept glaring from their place at the top of the steps while Sans kept leaning up against his mailbox over flowing with neglected letters. "guess we're just going to have to wait and see... aren't we?"

Sans could see them thinking but he could also tell that they were trying to appear unmoved and in control... They were anything but. Eventually they stood up straighter and the glare intensified.

"If you're not going to help then the least you can do is stay out of the way." Their stance is fierce, but it is severely undermined by the lingering raspiness of their voice. To make up for it, a false smile began to form- "Doing nothing is your thing, after all."

It hurts, admittedly.

"well... anyone can change... right?"

The smile on their face falters and the glare returned even more suspiciously.

"well maybe not you." Sans countered, twisting the verbal knife.

They want to look away, Sans can tell by the subtle flinch in their expression, but they hold their gaze firmly on him even as their breathing became a bit uneven. It was nice acting as always but it wasn't fooling Sans anymore. He'd never be fooled by them again.

Sans shrugged. The 'Human' growled. The door bursted open.

Both Sans and the 'Human' jumped.

"HUMAN, WAIT!" Papyrus came to a stop at the sight of them still standing there on the steps. "OH GOOD!" He decided. "HERE! I HAVE PREPARED YOU ANOTHER PLATE OF SPAGHETTI FOR THE ROAD! JUST IN CASE!"

"O-oh.." The 'Human' was giving Papyrus the weakest of fake smiles as they accepted the plate being held out to them. "Thanks again, Papyrus... For everything."

Sans clenched his jaw even harder than his fists.

"ARE YOU SURE YOU DO NOT WISH ME TO ACCOMPANY YOU?!"

"N-no. That's okay."

"yeah, and besides paps, they already have me." Papyrus lifted his head in surprise as he finally noticed his brother. "i'm walking with 'em to work."

"BROTHER DO NOT STAND AGAINST YOUR MAILBOX WHEN YOU COULD BE SORTING THROUGH IT!" Papyrus fumed.

"okay." Sans agreed, not moving the tiniest bit to grab any of the letters.

"SANS!"

"welp. gotta get going. can't be late to work and the kid's got a lot to do, too." Sans moved away from his mailbox and stood at the end of the steps. The 'Human' simply stared at him, the plate of foiled spaghetti still in their hands. Papyrus seemed annoyed still, yet pleased.

"I AM HAPPY THAT AT LEAST YOU'RE TAKING SOME INITIATIVE IN HELPING OUT NEW FRIEND!" Papyrus confided.

"heh. yeah. wouldn't want them to hurt themselves, the road to new home can be killer." The 'Human' scowled, and quickly made their way down the stairs. Sans wrapped his arm around their shoulder, taking advantage of Papyrus' presence that ensured that they could not react as violently as they wanted to at the action. All they could do was tense up, clench their grip on the plate, and smile for Papyrus. "welp. better be going, bro. catch ya later."

"NYEH. GOODBYE, BROTHER! GOODBYE, HUMAN! REMEMBER YOU HAVE MY NUMBER IF YOU NEED ANYTHING." The 'Human' didn't speak, too tense and knowing that their voice would betray them. Sans began leading them away, his grip strong. He could kill them like this. So easily.

"i sure will, bro."

"SANS, I WAS NOT TALKING TO YOU!" Papyrus fumed, stomping his foot, but then he stopped again, seeming to think. "WELL... I MEAN... YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL, TOO. SO THAT WORKS. NEH HEH."

Sans and the 'Human' were walking away... out of Snowdin.. finally, finally away from his brother.

Sans' grip was digging into the fabric of their sweater-

And the moment Papyrus was out of view, the 'Human's' bravery vanished.

The 'Human' threw Sans' hand away and took several rushed, uneven steps forward. They staggered to catch their balance... and their breath. The red eyes quickly went back to Sans, and began to take a defensive stance.

"what?" Sans taunted, feigning innocence. "i was only escortin' a friend. no need to act so worked up."

They didn't say a word, only stood there a moment in the snow with their grip tightly on the sides of Papyrus' plate of spaghetti... They pulled the plate closer to them, even as the red eyes stayed on Sans... Then finally, slowly, they began to turn away...

They walked ahead of him in continued silence, their fingers playing with the tin foil on the spaghetti. What Sans could see of their expression from his trailing position, just off of the side... Their expression was serious, clearly thinking... a small scowl on their face.

Their pace slowed as they reached their former battlefield with Papyrus, and Sans found himself next to them, even if he couldn't exactly say beside them. There was still too much space between them. Sans eyed them curiously, suspiciously, as they stopped completely in their tracks. Their hand raised and the plate of spaghetti disappeared safely into their inventory. And after that- Sans expected them to continue the long trek again, but instead the red eyes trailed as far away from him as possible without actually turning their head.

"... Papyrus... isn't an idiot." They finally mumbled.

The reaction is violent, immediate, inside Sans.

" **excuse me?** " To say he was angry was an understatement. "i never said that, ever!"

"N-No!" They crossed their arms, and shrunk in on themself, as if that could protect them! "I used to... I used to think..."

Sans' face was a deep scowl, the emotion he was feeling not fading in its intensity, but he kept himself steady as they kept talking. But what they could possibly be getting at with this- If a heart to heart was what they wanted he had sorry news for them-

"He.. He may not be able to understand what's going on like you do, but he can see something is off. With you. With me. But I didn't understand. He was just like them. He was just like... him..."

They paused but didn't look up, and Sans was left to briefly wonder- He knew who the 'them' was... Frisk. But he wasn't sure who the other 'he' was, but that was before Sans remembered he didn't even care. Besides, the 'Human' was talking about Paps again...

"I couldn't understand why so he was just another idiot... In my way."

" **so you killed him**."

The 'Human' flinched and held themself tighter, but then with a sigh, their head fell. In that moment they looked tired more than anything. Tired and so much older than... what was it? Ten? But Sans guessed that was because they really were, weren't they? They were at least a teenager in a child's body; still a demon all the same. He was done with this. Done with them. Their fragile manipulations.

Sans turned to walk away from them.

He hated th-

"He knows you're lying, Sans..." Their voice caught him. Sans froze again, the lights in his eyes that had barely just returned disappeared again as he turned once again towards them. His expression murderous. "Me too... He knows I'm lying too. He's not an idiot."

And what.. is Sans supposed to say to that?

Sans was angry, seething with it.

Claiming to know Papyrus better than Sans did? But how could he counter them? Did that mean he was saying he did think Papyrus was an idiot? He didn't think Papyrus was an idiot! There were... There were just so many, too many things Sans couldn't tell him! And they were more than half the reasons why!

He was trying to think of something biting. Something to get them riled up. But they weren't waiting for him to respond.

"He just..." The red eyes closed and they took a deep breath as they grimaced. They were already regretting what they were going to say. They decided to say it anyways. Even as they opened their eyes and coward into their shoulders. "It's not that he knows what's going on." They continued quick- "He doesn't. At all. But he knows we're not telling him everything. But- Just-"

They seemed to be growing increasingly more ashamed, their cheeks turning red- but that's assuming they could even feel shame, true shame, which Sans knew that they didnt'-

And with each word it only made Sans angrier-

"Of course they all went on vacation, Sans said so. Of course Sans is fine, if he says so, if he wasn't he'd tell me, eventually. Of course, of course, but even he knows it isn't true!" They stopped, looking slightly sick again. Honestly it was advisable for them to just shut the hell up while they were ahead, but they seemed to really have a death with- "Just because he believes in us, doesn't mean he has to believe us."

" **what do you know about anything**?" Sans demanded. That was a silly question, they were the time traveler after all, but still, even still- " **how dare you lecture me about my brother! after everything you've done! you-"**

Sans cut himself and his momentum off. He grit his teeth. He forced himself to turn around and begin to walk away before he did something he regretted.

" **lets just get this over with."**

 _But there is an easier, faster way to get it over with_ -

And the 'Human' wasn't taking the loss as they stepped quickly after him-

"When the RESETs end you can talk to him, Sans!" They tried desperately. "You won't have Frisk this time, you'll need to! You can't keep it all to yourself! He wants you to tell him what's wrong! And he'll believe you! You just-

" **ENOUGH**!"

Sans had their Soul in his grasp of Blue magic without another thought. Their horrified gasp barely registered as he slammed them hard against the nearest tree.

"AH!" Sans flinched at the sharp cry and released them. The 'Human' fell weak into the snow. Sans was struggling to breath, unable to shake the pain he had felt when he had hurt them. Not physical, but somewhere deep inside him, the sound of their cry... it had shaken him. He took a step away from them.

The 'Human' groaned then yelped in pain as they tried to lift themself up out of the snow. They grabbed their side as they flinched.

*12/15

Sans' shaken feelings were quickly turning back into anger.

" **we're done here."**

[Flee]

In a single breath and a flash of darkness Sans was behind the counter of his watch station. He let out a heavy breath as he did his best to let go of the strangling emotions inside him. As he tried to stop shaking.

It's almost over, he had to tell himself, it really, really was almost over. Just a little bit more. They just have to die or make it to the castle. It was fine. He could handle this. For the first time in a long time it was actually fine..

Then again- it strikes him unprompted- he probably thought that when he had been up on the surface. Sans shook his head. No, this was different. Because even back then, he had not been the one in control. Not like now. Right then. His options weren't reduced to just trusting..

"Yo!" Sans looked over as the little, yellow monster bounded towards the arriving 'Human' in recognition from before. "Are you sneaking out to see her too?"

The 'Human' hesitated but then smiled awkwardly.

"Yeah, guess I am."

"Awesome!" The Monster Kid, MK, declared, obviously excited to have a partner in their near daily outing.. "She's the coolest, right?"

The 'Human' only nodded, slowly.. nervously..

But not as nervous as Sans.

"maybe you should just go home today, kid." Sans called out. "undyne's been, uh, really busy." He already knows it's a lost cause... but the two kids being together, all of this just felt like a bad idea.

"What? And maybe miss something cool?! Never!" MK refused. "But uh... you're not gonna tell my parents are you?"

Sans is tempted to say yes, but he only sighs and the kid was taking that for what they wanted to hear.

"Come on!" The little monster calling out as they ran ahead, falling flat on their face for a moment before jumping up again and racing on their way..

The 'Human' stayed where they were, an aura of dread over them and it should give Sans a bit of joy but it doesn't, he's still too bitter and angry.. His glare narrowed and the red eyes glared back, but it is unconvincing in its strength.

Their hand is still pressed to their side in subtle pain as they walked past his station.. And he lets them...

They disappeared into the dark blues of Waterfall...

... The next time Sans caught up with them they were wearing a tutu. Which he had no idea where they had gotten it, but even from a distance it seemed like they were more assured wearing it.

They walked through the hall of the wishing room as Sans stood waiting expectantly beside the final echo flower for them... But, they didn't seem to notice. They're head was tilted back as they stared at the ceiling, the echo flowers whispering their secrets to them as they went by. There was an apparent sense of nostalgia in their expression.. They almost, just almost, looked like they hadn't been here before. Or at least, for awhile.. But Sans knew that couldn't be true. This wasn't their first RESET since they'd been to the surface. That fact, though, does not stop them from taking their time... their mind clearly elsewhere.

"C'mon, sis! Make a wish!" They paused in between the two echo flowers.

"I wish my sister and I will see the real stars someday..."

The real stars... The stars this 'Human' had given to them and then had easily ripped away.

As if the 'Human' could physically feel his radiating anger, they looked his way... They froze seeing him, their body tense. After a moment of Sans doing nothing... the red eyes eyed the telescope next to him with longing... They don't dare, though.

The 'Human' lowered their head and turned the corner, trying to ignore Sans, but he could tell from their expression that they were remembering things that were making them uncomfortable. Even if Sans didn't know what it was, he was glad to have helped.

Sans reached out to the telescope and fiddled with the eye piece between his fingers as he looked up towards the ceiling...

He'd seen real stars before... He'd seen the sun...

He couldn't remember a thing.

The knowledge is heavy...

H-How had all of this happened? Why? Sans could only sigh miserably. It didn't matter now, it was done. There was no getting it back. He could only focus on the present, where he could actually make a difference...

When Sans finally teleported after them, he found them running at full speed, blue spears raining down upon them. Sans tense and watched expectantly. Their heart was definitely racing and Sans had to wonder how that felt. To have your blood pumping through your veins. It can't be a comfortable thing; a physical manifestation of all your fears.

Sans teleported closer to get a better view as the human lept dangerously into a patch of grass. Sans jolted in surprise. They can't expect that to work! But... he dare not hold his breath, dare not hope. They had been here before, after all. Plus they're so small and quiet... Sans scanned the top of the grass for movement...

And so did Undyne.

Then, Undyne began to march straight through it.

A section of grass began to quiver.

This could be it. The end. There was no starting over again if they played this just right. Undyne could end this!

She had asked him if he cared at all, and in that moment, that moment where Sans dared to begin to hope again oh did he care. This was it. Really it. Maybe, possibly..

Undyne struck out her hand.

It was the little yellow monster kid from before..

Sans stood just as frozen as Undyne at the sight of the kid, basically buzzing with unbridled excitement in Undyne's hand.

And Sans... Undyne was putting the kid back down into the grass, she was taking several steps back, ready to retreat for the moment, and Sans... there is a feeling inside him that echos loudly of...

Of course.

That's all he can describe the emotion as, that phrase, of course. Of course the universe did this. He had to let out a tense chuckle. It was all a game, right. What a twist in events. The comedian in him had to admit that, right? Of course... Undyne had to be flustered beyond belief with that.

Of course.

Sans watched the kid and the 'Human' pile out of the grass, each breathing rapidly for very different reasons. MK seemed oblivious to the other's distress in their own excitement, barely able to hold still for a second. The 'Human' had bent over, hands on their knees as they breathed in. out. in.

"Yo..! Did you see that?!" MK asked, voice high enough to shatter glass. The 'Human' lifted their head and offered the other kid a meek smile. "Undyne just..." They were practically jumping in place. "TOUCHED ME!"

No, that was high enough to shatter glass.

Sans sighed.. this kid had no clue what was going on..

"I'm never washing my face ever again!"

The 'Human' sighed as well, but was still smiling that meek smile.

"Man, are you unlucky!" MK continued. "If you had just been standing a LITTLE bit to the left!"

Yeah, this kid had no clue what was going on.

The 'Human' looked over their shoulder back towards the grass, and Sans knew that they were going through the very brutal reality of how right MK was, at how close that had been. They'd gone through this before, but fear... Fear was a very real thing.

MK seemed to read their backwards glance as regret, though.

"Yo, don't worry!" They said enthusiastically. "I'm sure we'll see her again!"

The look on the 'Human's' face was hardly assured, but the kid was already running ahead excitedly. Too excitedly. MK face planted but before the 'Human' could respond, they were bounding up again and on their way...

... The 'Human' breathed out loudly, their shoulders falling...

Having finally recovered, they walked over to the water, onto one of the small docks scattered around all over Waterfall, and bent down, their cupped hands reaching out-

"AH!" The gasp and scream caught Sans off guard and he jumped, fully alert, his magic racing and ready to Act-

But nothing happened.

The 'Human' had flailed back from the water, but nothing happened. No monster rose up, no FIGHT initiated...

Nothing happened.

The 'Human' was shaking, though, the red eyes wide and towards the ceiling as they once again fought to catch their breath. Their hands rose to cover their face and they curled in on themself. And after a tense moment, their back shaking.. Sans thought they were crying, but soon the small sound of laughter echoed in the cavern.. Weak and broken.

After a minute or two, they lowered their hands and hesitantly leaned back over the water, their movements slow and measured.

Sans could see them take a deep breath more before they gazed out over the clear surface of the water.

And they stared...

Simply stared and with each passing second they looked a bit more... desolate. Their hand lifted and rested against their cheek.

"Despite everything..." They whispered. "It's still..."

The red eyes closed painfully as their head fell.

And Sans...

There is that feeling... That mourning, hurting shaken... feeling...

He shook his head.

No. No, not again. Not this time.

It takes an absurd amount of emotional energy even if not magical to teleport directly behind them on the small dock.

He still couldn't see anything in the water but their own reflection.

"water you up to?"

The 'Human' nearly jumped out of their skin. The red eyes widened and they twisted on the dock to face him... Only to lose their balance and fall back.

"Ah!"

Sans guessed he could have caught them if he'd tried. But this worked.

"Sans you asshole!" They raged as they resurfaced, kicking furiously back up to the dock and slapped their hands against the wood. The red eyes were blazing as they glared up at him.

"woah there, i was just trying to add a splash of fun to your life, no need to... uh... be shallow about it." Their teeth were bare as they dragged themself out of the water and he took a step back. "maybe you're one for more dry humor i suppose."

"Move." They ordered.

"heh." Sans took another step back but not out of the way.

They stared, anger rolling off of them and perhaps that was steam he saw coming off of them? In spite, pure spite... they jumped back into the water next to him.

"woah!" Sans said as he barely avoided the splash.

The 'Human' was pulling themself up onto the shore.

"was it somethin' I said? guess i'll have to ponder my actions for a bit! maybe i got in too deep!"

They stopped before entering the next room, he can see that they are beginning to shake but its from the cold- jumping in the water right after a cold was probably not for the best... but when they turned back towards him, they were smiling wicked and eyes sharp.

"Why don't you go tr'y out all those puns on Undyne?" They asked too sweetly. "I'm sure she'll find them gillarious..."

"... i mean.. i know my jokes are _killer_ , right? but we wouldn't want to distract her from her mission. and yours too. after all, you're angling to make friends arencha?"

They turned away darkly.

"You're a load of crap." They muttered through chattering teeth.

"what didja say?! i'm a load of carp?!"

"I'M BOWING OUT!"

"that was still a pun!" He called back.

"I HAVE MADE MYSELF CRYSTAL CLEAR YOU ARE GRATING ON MY NERVES!"

They were yelling but Sans could hear the proud smile in their voice. Sans can't help himself, doesn't even notice at first the excitement inside his chest as he teleports ahead. And there it is, his telescope is still set up! His laziness paying off. If he worked fast enough he could- wait.

Sans' expression fell and he put away the ink before he even pulled it completely out.

They'd know. They'd expect it.

... They'd want it...

The 'Human' reappeared and they smirked at seeing him standing there between the box and telescope. They stopped expectantly in front of him.

"welp. i guess is should have had a space pun ready for ya, but i'd need a bit longer to planet."

Their smirk fell, but after a moment a shadow of it returned, their wet hair sticking to the sides of their lifted cheeks- It was too forced.

"Well, I'm sure it will dawn on... you." Their smile fell again and the red eyes flickered away in guilt and their cheeks were turning a rosy red. They eyed the telescope beside him hopefully after a moment... waiting for him to say something... and the longer they waited the more Sans knew he had made the right choice. He had gotten them. For real.

"water you waiting around here for?" He asked. He knew he'd already made that pun but whatever, it worked. They looked a bit crushed, but after a moment... there was no surprise... but in the end they glared.

They fumed as they turned the corner and he waited curiously know that was supposed to be a dead end. They returned, opened the box, and placed some sort of card inside it. Then they hesitated. They looked back over the box towards Sans and then pulled out their phone.

It only rang twice before Papyrus answered the phone. Just like always.

The 'Human' wasn't smiling, but their voice was almost cheerful as they asked about Sans having a telescope. Sans' eyes darkened as he watched them.

"HUH? MY BROTHER? OF COURSE HE HAS A TELESCOPE! SANS LOVES OUTER SPACEY SCI-FI STUFF."

"Oh. I didn't know that." They replied evenly, their gaze still tearing through Sans.

"HMM? HE NEVER TOLD YOU? YEAH, SANS NEVER TELLS ANYBODY ANYTHING!"

The anger was burning through Sans as they hung up and put the phone away. The red eyes were still firm and unmoved by his dangerous expression and they began to walk away. As if nothing had happened. As if they could just keep getting away with crap like that just because they were upset that Sans wouldn't play along. As if... As if Sans was still helpless.. hopeless. As if...

Sans' fists were tight as he struggled to keep a level head.

But even with that level head...

They were slipping on a pair of slippers to match their tutu when Sans re-emerged from the darkness behind them.

There was a way to end this. A way to end all of this. If he just did it right.. If he just held sure.

Stayed determined.

The gasp they make sends another wave of shaken emotion through his core, but Sans plunged through it just as forcefully as he plunged them fast beneath the waves.

He can feel them struggling, it's an awful way to go, but any way Sans chose would not have been fast, painless-

... This is just what they deserved...

He thinks it over and over, quick and sure, not allowing any room for doubt. And when there is-

Stars and dawns and sunsets.

For everyone.

Paps-

Even if he won't understand- and that's why Sans hadn't done this right from the start to begin with-

Stars. Dawns. Sunsets.

Sans sent an array of bones beneath the water and pulled up forcefully.

In a single instant, Sans felt the swelling of LOVE inside him, heavy and dragging in his Soul, at the same time that he fell backwards onto the ground... and the bright, blue Soul floated above him... the body it was supposed to be attached to still held down by his bone array.

Sans froze, waiting, expectantly. For time to snap back, it always snapped back. Always, always, alwaysalwaysalways-

Time wasn't snapping back.

A minute passes. Two. Three. Four. Seven. Ten.

Sans can't breathe. The Soul stayed there, floating in blue magic just above his hands... Floating there. Whole, glowing, unshattering. Sans' hands were shaking.

This isn't real. This wasn't going to be real...

There was a pulse from the Soul in his hands and Sans gasped, flinched, expecting...

But again... nothing.

Sans let out another large breath.

Nothing.

"It's... It's over." He braced for it, the blow, the immediate proof he was wrong from the universe that hated him.

But again... nothing...

Nothing.

Nothing, nothing, nothing!

"It's over." There is laughter in Sans' voice and there is a feeling inside him he can't explain... A feeling-

Freedom.

"It's over." The tears were working their way down his face before he even notices them. Sans covered his eye sockets with his hand as the tears kept coming, harder.

The Soul pulsed again and Sans gasped, lowering his hand and staring at it... sitting there, still whole, in his open palm.

It's over... And more importantly.

Undyne.

Sans was getting up.

He had to get to Undyne. Or the King direct- Before the universe acted. Before the universe took this away from him too. He had to...

Sans was running, not sure where to teleport with the castle itself too far away and Undyne's location unknown.. Running, the whole future ahead of him-

But he is careless, he isn't paying attention. Sans cried out as he tripped over something growing in the path. He went to shortcut, to save his footing and crisis, but... Fear grips him as he.. can't.

And whatever had tripped him, had grabbed hold of him tightly, grew-

"what-" It's fast. Faster than Sans knows how to comprehend. It has his legs, his torso, his arms that were rising high above his head, keeping the Soul safe, out of it's grasp, but Sans definitely, surely, cannot move. It has him-

And Sans' mind is racing-

This is familiar. So familiar. So awfully familiar.

And he's panicking. He can't breathe.

This is bad.

Familiar and bad.

A nightmare he had forgotten made real..

 **"Give. Them. To. Me."**

The voice is just the same.

Makes Sans cold.

 **"I SAID GIVE THEM TO ME!"** It shrieked. Sans looked down towards it, from it's place in front of him-

A flower...

Sans can't feel even as the vines hold onto him painfully, as the vines try to drag him down, to reach the Soul. The flower was trying to grow it's own stem higher, to get closer, so desperately closer to the Soul. It's face is demonic, it's movements and actions deranged-

 **"You smiley trash bag!"** Sans' fingers were working to curl around the Soul, to summon enough magic in his pained Soul. " **NO**!" The flower raged, seeing what he was trying, it was summoning an array of pellets around him and began to lunge- " **THEY'RE MINE!"**

Sans could feel the Soul shattering in his hand just as the pellets struck at full force into his chest.

 **"NOOOOOOOO!"**

Sans fell into the mud, limp and numb. He could feel the dust in his teeth and every part of his body as the world blurred.

"Ch-Chara?" The flower's voice called.

Chara... It's a familiar name, Sans can't place... can't...

"Chara, please! Please! I.." There are tears in the voice as Sans' vision slipped into blackness- "It's not worth it." The voice continued. "It's not worth it if it means losing you..."

Darkness...

Oblivion...

 _"Please... Please, not again..."_

Sans was slammed back into place, pain in his chest as the world came into brutal focus. He breathed out, a hand on his chest as he leaned back against the wall-

What... What..?

He has to orient himself because he can't quite remember-

The telescope. The box. Waterfall.

Right, right. He was just antagonizing the 'Human', was about to put ink on his telescope, was just... Just...

That was a Load... but wrong.. Wrong... Something...

And it felt as if he had...

Sans jolted as the 'Human' appeared from the other room. They didn't stop, they made their way straight forward, not even looking at him. Their arms were crossed and their shoulders hiked and their wet hair dripping, and Sans had a brief memory-

Their Soul... His hand...

He'd killed them.

But he'd also...

The pain in his chest is pounding...

He'd killed them but he hadn't gotten away with it, either...

There was anger, frustration...

Of course.

Sans kept his hands in his pockets and he stayed where he was just awhile longer... fuming...

Of course.

... Of course...


	8. Spite

_Best Enemies Forever_

* * *

They were slipping on a pair of slippers to match their tutu when Sans caught back up with them. The moment he appeared though, sulking out of the darkness, the 'Human' turned quickly and Sans immediately has to dodge the old boot flying right past his head. The 'Human's' stance was fierce and defensive, their fists lifted as they were ready to FIGHT.

Right. Sans supposes that's fair.

"look." Sans began, lifting his hands out. "i know i killed ya, and it didn't work, i don't hate myself enough to keep putting myself through that. let's just call it even and move on."

He killed them and they killed him.

"I'll never forgive you!" They raged, red eyes like fire.

When they had sped past him when he had been at his telescope he had thought they were curled in on themself, sheepish, but he had obviously been wrong. They were seething.

"i think i can live with that." Sans shrugged, but he feels bitter all the same.

He's not the one that needs forgiven. It's what they deserved. Even if he can't remember why he snapped and broke his plan on just following, making sure they didn't hurt anyone before the end, he knows that whatever it was that made him act, they deserved it. For everything they've ever done.

But they are still seething, their stance still defensive.

"you can be angry all ya want. i killed ya. sorry not sorry."

"I'm not angry about that!" They snapped. Sans tilted his head uncertain. "I always knew you were a scared, paranoid ass but I never thought-!" They could see he wasn't understanding and they cut off, still seething oh so violently.

"what?" Sans pressed. They shook their head.

"There's no point when you can't even remember doing it. You'll just deny it."

Sans huffed and put his hands in his pockets.

He hates them. He really does.

"But like I said before, if you're not going to help then stay out of my way!" They yelled. "Because if it's you, I'll come back every time! Just for spite."

He. Hates. Them.

He wants to kill them again. Just for spite. Maybe plunge them straight into the water beside them. Drown the life out of them. They wouldn't be able to drag him down and kill him too if it ends like that.

But it wouldn't matter. They'd just be right there again..

And to put them through such a slow and awful death when it wouldn't mean anything... That seems a bit much.. even for them.

But oh how he hates them.

And oh how they hate him.

They were storming off and Sans let them as he stood fuming over everything. They were accusing him of something but he just couldn't place what. He's trying to think, remember what he can't... He really can't remember. Only knows. He killed them, but then he also died.

Of course.

The 'Human' doesn't get far, not even out of Sans' sight, when their phone rang. They froze, absolutely solid, as if rang again.

Papyrus...

The 'Human's' back is turned towards Sans but he can still tell that they don't know if they should answer it... but that they want to. The phone rang again and Sans growled lowly to himself, ready to snap at them to not keep Paps waiting when the 'Human' finally answered it all on their own.

"HELLO! THIS IS PAPYRUS!"

"Hi..." The 'Human's' voice is small, the anger and rage they'd been aiming at Sans entirely gone. It only makes Sans angrier, but the sound of his brother's voice cuts through it again-

"REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED YOU ABOUT YOUR CLOTHES?"

When he had asked them very suspiciously about their clothes? Yup. Hard to forget.

The 'Human' did not respond.

"WELL, THE FRIEND WHO WANTED TO KNOW..."

Undyne.

"HER OPINION OF YOU IS VERY... MURDERY."

Now Sans was the one to freeze. The 'Human' glanced back at him and Sans braced for i, but the red eyes that he anticipated to be mocking, sneering, they were genuinely... sad...

"BUT I BET YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY!"

Sans couldn't keep the red eyes' gaze, but neither could they. They turned their head away at the same time as him.

"AND BECAUSE YOU KNEW THAT..." Papyrus on the other end sounds just as hesitant and guilty as Sans was fighting not to feel. "I TOLD HER WHAT YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE WEARING! A DUSTY TUTU! BECAUSE I KNOW, OF COURSE... AFTER SUCH A SUSPICIOUS QUESTION... YOU WOULD OBVIOUSLY CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES! YOU'RE SUCH A SMART COOKIE!"

The tutu at their waist is still deflated and dripping from their splash into the water earlier, and the now matching slippers were digging into the dirt beneath them as the 'Human' remained standing in awkward discomfort as Papyrus continued to speak.

"THIS WAY YOU'RE SAFE AND I DIDN'T LIE! NO BETRAYAL ANYWHERE! BEING FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE IS EASY!"

Sans' hand in his pocket gripped at the torn sides of the photograph he was carrying. Them. With everyone. The sun on the surface-

"Papyrus." Their voice is still small, even smaller.

"WHAT? WHAT IS IT?" There is more than a hint of concern and nervousness. The 'Human' gripped the phone tightly, Sans thought it might break.

"Don't..." Their resolve wavered. "Nevermind."

"WHAT IS IT, HUMAN?" Papyrus encouraged though. "YOU CAN TELL ME. THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS A GREAT LISTENER NYEH HEH."

The 'Human', though, did not seem all too certain, they even dared another glance back at Sans who was still looking at his own reflection in the water and not at them. No. Not at them, not even in the corner of his vision where he could see their timid expression. That timid, manipulative expression.

"Don't... Don't be upset.. if it doesn't work out... okay?"

They had turned away from Sans again, their shoulders hitched upwards protectively.

"OF COURSE IT WILL WORK OUT! OH! MAYBE YOU ARE NERVOUS! BUT DO NOT WORRY, FOR I KNOW YOU CAN WIN HER OVER IN THE END! LIKE YOU DID ME! AND SANS!"

"Pap..." Their voice trailed off, but Papyrus seemed to be listening intently to them on the other end of the phone, waiting for them to continue. The 'Human' sighed.

"IT WON'T GO AS BAD AS YOU THINK. I PROMISE." Papyrus said again. "UNDYNE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON! ONCE SHE SEES HOW MUCH OF A TRUE FRIEND YOU ARE SHE WON'T THINK ABOUT HURTING YOU!"

"Yeah..." The 'Human' finally agreed, but it isn't exactly in their voice.

"IT'LL BE FINE!" Papyrus promised once more. The 'Human' let out a strangled laugh.

"Yeah..." They said softly, lowering the phone. "It'll be fine.."

"... ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Papyrus asked in concern. There was a moment of silence.

"I'm just feeling a bit homesick." They admitted, but then their voice lifted as they forced a smile neither of the brothers could actually see. "But talking to you makes me feel better, thanks."

Sans' fists clenched even tighter at the lie.

"OH! THEN PERHAPS WE CAN TALK WHILE YOU WALK!"

"N-no... That's okay. But.. I promise, if I get too down again, I'll call you this time. Okay?"

"I WILL TRY MY BEST TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER AT ALL TIMES!" Papyrus promised.

"Thanks." They said softly and he heard them hang up without a goodbye...

And Sans said nothing as they began to walk back into the darkness ahead of them...

... Shyren was hiding in the corner, but somehow encountered them anyways.

The 'Human' didn't make a sound as the monster hummed weakly, apprehensive about the whole ordeal. The 'Human' had barely registered Onionsan's attempts at conversation and now they stood in front of the broken monster they still couldn't bring themself to look up, to engage in the FIGHT they were in. Ever since their conversation with Papyrus, something somber had settled inside them.

Shyren hummed again, this time leaning in towards the 'Human' out of concern. The note fell flat but the movement seemed to gain more of the 'Human's' attention and they looked up. Shyren offered them another weak hum only to cower again, wanting to flee in her anxiety. The 'Human' took a deep breath before starting to hum softly back. It was hoarse and not quite right but Shyren seemed to perk up at it.

The 'Human' smiled, but Sans could tell from his place at a distance that it was forced.

Shyren on the other hand, seemed encouraged by it regardless. She started humming along. As the tune evened out and grew a bit louder with each passing second, Sans realized he recognized it from somewhere... He just wasn't sure where to place it.

The song continued, both performers growing louder with each passing tune. The 'Human' had eased up, or at least... it was no longer forced. The song came naturally to them.

And they were beginning to draw a crowd.

It's all too familiar.

Sans flipped his hood up and leaned up against the wall as he stayed in the shadows and watched. It could all go bad so quickly.

The battle turned concert ended and the 'Human' bowed with Shyren. When they stood back up though, Sans saw the exact moment the red eyes found him, even in the shadows. Their smile that was on their face but had never truly been in their eyes finally disappeared. It quickly reappeared though as a chorus of calls for an encore came but the 'Human' only waived and began to retreat, leaving Shyren in the spotlight as they escaped back into the darkness.

And Sans, like always, followed.

He stood at the fork in the path unsure of which way they would have gone first. The right was the path to the castle, but he had noticed that they always took the time to do the little detours along their path, no matter what. It was unsettling to Sans.

They'd seen it all before, so redoing it all, to the smallest detail was...

Sick.

But they were sick after all he had decided.

A soft noise draws Sans' attention and he begins to make his way down the main path. As he walked closer, the sound grew more distinct; it sounded like a music box... It's notes echoing down the corridor.. Sans lifted his head in realization. That's the song. The one the 'Human' had been humming.. But where was it coming from?

The source of the tune was now only around the corner and he peeked out cautiously, still remaining in the shadows.

There they were... They stood in the middle of the room with the long forgotten statue that Sans... had honestly forgotten. They stood... looking up at the 'rain' as it fell, pattering against the red umbrella they had placed carefully over the statue, and the soft musical chime rose up from its' base to dance around the two of them.

Sans stood listening for a minute or two, the tension in his bones relaxing and he breathed out heavily as he dared to close his eye sockets.

... It's been a long day...

He opened his sockets and watched the 'Human' carefully.

This had no benefit to them... Even more than usual. No gift or useful item would be given from this... Only the soft, gentle music... No other purpose.

And they just stood there, a hand against their chest, fingers clasping at their sweater.

"Sans..." Their voice caught him by surprise, he hadn't been sure that they were sure he was there- "Can I... ask you a favor?"

"what?!"

The request is so ludicrous, so out of nowhere- They have nothing to suggest he would ever agree to anything they'd ask, the opposite even, and yet those words had escaped their lips! The hostilities were mounting, the anger rising inside Sans as he tensed again. His eye socket was threatening to flash blue.

"I wouldn't ask... but..." They continued, their tone still the same. Soft... "It's something important. That, if I do actually die, I... I want to have it with me..." The fingers on their chest, holding onto their sweater, tightened.

Sans was silent, glaring. Then he openly scoffed and shook his head in continued disbelief. Their shoulders tensed up, hearing him.

"Please..." They whispered, lowering their head. "There's a locket in New Home. It's in a gift box in one of the bedrooms..."

"well when you get there you can steal it." Sans offered casually.

"It wouldn't be stealing." They countered lowly, anger returning. But they don't push it.. or Sans. They simply turn away and start walking again. They've already accepted he was indeed not going to be of any help at all. Sans watched them grab another umbrella and wander off through the rain.

And Sans had to admit... his curiosity was peaked...

He made his way straight to the River Person, and in a matter of minutes he found himself at New Home. Watching the 'Human' wander through the Underground, he had almost forgotten how quickly the journey actually was... How quickly all of this could be over with... If the 'Human' didn't have their little games to play...

He wasn't planning on actually getting them this thing, he just wanted to make sure it wasn't something dangerous... He told himself... But at the same time, he really was just that curious... As to what inanimate object could be so important to them when every person they knew seemed to not matter in the end.

New Home is not a place he goes to often. He's only actually been inside a few times. This trip only serves to remind him of why. It was faded and barren, the only real colour being splashes of yellow from the flowers the King liked to tend in his free time... Well, actually, all the time. Sans can't stand the sight of them.

Sans snooped around the halls, eventually entering the nearest bedroom. He'd never been in this area of the house before and something ominous chilled his bones as he eyes the two empty beds... Perfect for children. He avoided looking directly at the dust covered toys... Not wanting to think about it. About how the cycle of gaining hope and losing it seemed to be the fate of all monsterkind.

The locket is exactly where they said. Sitting their in an open present box on the floor. Bending down to view it, his unease increases.

Best Friends Forever, it said.

He'd seen this heart locket before...

A prickle of memory played at the back of his mind but he couldn't come up with anything- oh wait! Sans pulled out the two pieces of torn picture from his pocket.

There it was. Resting against their chest as they smiled brightly... Something in Sans' rib cage moved... Some weird sensation... Sans took the locket with him. Though not entirely sure why...

...He arrived at one of the best spots in the Underground... It was dark and the air cool just like the rest of Waterfall, but the view was spectacular. You could see for miles, and the King's castle towered upwards magnificently towards the ceiling. The glittering gems really did look like a starry sky... At least almost. At least that was how he had always imagined it. But he didn't have much to go on, now did he? At least not now...

From there he could already hear an excited voice echoing down the hallways, and it took him a second to realize it was, yet again, the Monster Kid.

"Ummm, maybe she wouldn't beat up the teachers..." He heard the child say. "She's too COOL to hurt an innocent person."

Oooh boy...

The children appeared out of the cavern and the 'Human's' eyes immediately rested on him, his white eye lights making him clearly visible in the darkness.

"Yo!" The Monster Kid called to Sans. The 'Human' and monster walked together under the umbrella as they approached Sans. He turned his gaze back over the rest of the Underground. The duo beside him stopped to do the same for a moment. The 'Human' looked at the castle and then glanced back towards Sans, their eyes falling in disappointment despite having known he wasn't going to look into their request...

They would have been angry if they'd known the truth. Maybe that was why he had taken it...

The locket rested up against the worn, torn picture, Sans' fisted hand on top of them both. His own little spite.

... It didn't feel like the only reason though...

"that's where the journey ends, doesn't it, kiddo?" He said slyly indicating the palace. The 'Human' looked back up at him, MK oblivious to what he meant. They didn't seem angry, just… blank. They sighed and their shoulders slacked as they looked away. They began to walk towards the exit and both MK and Sans followed.

They looked over their shoulder, frowning slightly as Sans stood there beside MK. The rain was coming down but they took their umbrella and placed it back in the awaiting basket. MK darted ahead of Sans and fidgeted excitedly at the base of a ledge that was too tall for all of them.

Sometimes Sans genuinely had to wonder who designed these things… He had the advantage that came with his shortcuts, but seriously how does everyone else do it?

MK seemed to be wondering the same thing.

"Yo, this ledge is too steep!" They complained loudly. They were frowning as they turned to the human then back to the ledge, then back to the 'Human'. "Yo, you want to see Undyne, right?" The human nodded slowly. "Climb on my shoulders!"

The 'Human' followed the other's advice and Sans watched in amusement as they slumped over the top of the ledge and pulled themselves up. But… How did they ever expect to drag MK up with them? The little monster didn't have anything to hold on to the 'Human' with!

MK seemed to be realizing this as well. Suddenly they were turning to Sans.

"Yo! You mind helping me up?" They asked. Sans shrugged. He'd given up on trying to send the kid home…

"sur-" The 'Human' slammed their fist into their hand threateningly. Sans looked up at them, his left eye socket twitching involuntarily. Their face was serious. Determined. Murderous.

Everything about them screamed NO. Absolutely not. Nope.

They repeated the motion again with their hands and Sans' smile almost faltered in surprise as he saw it more clearly now that he was looking directly at them.

[Stop] They signed once more with a sense of finality. Wait, were they really-? He wasn't imagining-? A coincidence? [Danger] The surprise was clear on his face but their own face was serious and unmoved by it as they stared.

"huh." Sans breathed out with a small chuckle. "i'm not gonna lie kid, that was sort of unexpected."

How, or just… Why did this kid speak Hands? How had they known Sans understood Hands? It'd been years since he'd needed it. It was rusty and nearly forgotten, but undeniably there in the back of his mind. But how had they discovered-

[Fish]

Sans had to laugh out loud. Yeah, he'd gotten that. Who else could it have been? But seeing Undyne simply referred to as "fish" was just too much.

"Y-Yo! What are they doing with their hands?" MK asked. Sans settled down and starred at them.

"um… talking." He answered truthfully. MK's eyes widened in awe.

"With their hands?" They asked. They turned excitedly back to the human. "What are you saying?" The 'Human' wanted to cringe.

"they're saying we should split up." Sans said. MK's face fell and they looked between the 'Human' and Sans. "it'll give us a better chance at seeing a glimpse of undyne." Sans explained. MK seemed to buy into this.

"Oh yeah! That sounds like a great idea!" They hesitated. "Wait! But what if one of us sees her and the other doesn't?!"

"uhh…" The 'Human' took out their phone and then pointed at Sans. What? Were they doing the entire silent thing now?

"I'll call him if I see her." They promised aloud now. "And he can teleport you to where I am!" MK's eyes lit up as they turned to Sans, seeming to shake with excitement.

"Teleport?!"

"uh-" The 'Human' was turning to leave now, not coming back to his defense. Sans watched them go, the Monster Kid still waiting in anticipation. Sans smiled down at them. "yup." He said. "teleport. but i like to call 'em shortcuts. sounds lazier." MK was laughing, but standing next to Sans expectantly.

"Take me somewhere! Wow! Being touched by Undyne! Teleporting! THIS DAY CAN'T GET ANY COOLER!" They paused and then gasped. "Teleporting to Undyne would be cooler!" They exclaimed. Sans sighed as he wrapped his arm around the kid.

"alright. alright. can't make no promises about undyne though. gotta know where she is for that to work."

They were walking together through another section of waterfall, Undyne nowhere in sight. Which Sans had known, but MK was entirely disappointed. Sans eyed them as they chatted away.

"heyya kiddo, can i ask you a question?"

"Yo! What's up?"

"do you really trust that other kid?"

MK blinked and tilted their head giving Sans a confused look.

"Psh. Why wouldn't I? They're a kid just like me!"

"that…" Sans had nothing to say to that. Nothing he could say to that. The kid just didn't understand… Nobody did. That 'Human' wasn't just a "kid". Wasn't even a kid anymore. He didn't even consider them human.

"Yo! It's Undyne!" Sans followed their gaze and sure enough, Undyne was walking quickly a fair distance away from them. MK was turning to Sans excitedly. "You gotta go get the other kid, right? I'll run ahead!" They exclaimed as they rushed off. Sans sighed.

Welp. He better go find them again. Now that they weren't running for their lives who knew what chaos they could have gotten themself or somebody else into.


	9. Thundersnails

They were racing snails...

Or at least they were about to be.

There is a feeling of immense relief when he sees them. He'd been searching for them for nearly an hour now and he'd begun to panic- That it had been a trick, he'd given them exactly what they wanted in leaving them alone, that he would find a trail of dust-

But there they were...

Playing friends with the timid ghost.

The red eyes spot him as soon as he exits the shadows and immediately there was a strange glint reflecting off of them as they leaned over the side of the railing and the ghost hovered beside them.

They apparently felt better.

"Do you want to play?" They called out to him, a small smile on their face as that glint intensified.

"... is it a race?" Sans asked as he stepped in to stand next to them, pretending he wasn't recovering from a bout of panic. He eyed the snails in the enclosure then nodded in greeting to the ghost. "napstablook."

"o-oh. hellow sans." The ghost greeted back. "it is a race. it's called thundersnail."

"do we both chose a snail?"

"Nope." The 'Human' budded in. "Just one at a time."

"the snails will race, and if the yellow snail wins, you win." Napstablook continued for them. "it's 10g to play." Sans nodded evenly as he thought.

"okay, i'm game." He said, taking the gold out of his pocket. "gotta help support the local businesses."

"oh, th-thank you.. o-okay." Napstablook turned towards the snailed preparing to start the race. "be sure to repeatedly encourage your snail."

Encourage... huh?

That was more of a... Papyrus thing, Sans had to admit.

The red eyes gleamed as they watched him and Sans felt himself tense. They were already smiling victoriously.

"ready?" Napstablook asked.

There was no way Sans was losing to this demon.

3...

2...

1...

GO!

His snail was on fire.

It started off nicely enough. The snail trailing along with Sans' gentle encouragement, but then... It all went downhll the moment he told the snail she was going a good job and that he believed in her...

The snail just couldn't take it.

"come on, little bud." Sans began as the snail trailed behind.

He had tried his best to talk the snail up, but... with each thing he said, the snail just seemed to panic. And when he tried to be more energetic about it, like Papyrus would be, he...

The snail had stopped moving.

"hey, now, it's okay, bud, uh... you're not looking too good, but it's-"

The snail was shaking.

"oh come on, now, i know you can do it. you just gotta keep at it."

Failing. Miserably failing. The snail was collapsing in on itself with every word.

"don't give up, buddy..."

And that was that.

His snail was on fire...

How had it gone so wrong?

He'd thought he was doing well at first.

Everyone just... stared at the snail a moment.

"oh…."

Yeah, he knew it was bad, but Napstablook's drawn out surprise just drove it in harder.

"looks like you encouraged your snail too much…"

Sans. Sans, of all people, had encouraged his snail too much.

"all that pressure to succeed…. really got to her…" The ghost turned back to the snail in concern as she recovered. "oh…."

Sans lowered his head in shame.

What was even happening here?

"Can I try, Blook?"

Blook? Sans lifted his head. The 'Human' was that familiar with the ghost already? He'd been separated from them for an hour!

The ghost didn't seem surprised, though, as they looked from the 'Human' to the snail and back again.

"o-okay. 10g, please."

The 'Human' smiled as they handed the gold to the ghost. He wasn't sure how that worked. Did ghosts have ghost pockets? Then again he was a skeleton that breathed, that could sweat.

The 'Human' was still leaning over the rail as the snails set up for another go and it was clear right off that they were a lot better at this than Sans was. He watched them, noting how they didn't constantly try to encourage the snail, and when they did so, it was gentle and soothing. They definitely got farther than Sans did, but they must have been sorely out of practice...

"oh..." The ghost began sympathetically as the snail crossed the finish line last. The 'Human' was leaning back off the rail, their lips pressed together in a small pout. "you both tried your best but the snail looks discouraged."

Sans eyed the snail as it trudged back to its' starting place. He didn't know much about snails, but yeah, it looked a little worn down. Not very determined.

"her best wasn't good enough." Napstablook conceded.

Sans looked over to the 'Human', their jaw was set tightly and they were breathing in and out unevenly. A small fire was in those red eyes and Sans had to roll his own lights. At least their snail finished the race.

"Again." They said, taking out another 10g.

Sans sighed but watched them go at it again, admittedly curious and noting when they decided to encourage the snail and when they stayed silent. But still it was not enough, the snail slid across the finish line... second...

"your snail lost by a thin margin." Napstablook began, and Sans couldn't help but feel smug. "actually.. the snail is under the false belief that it won..." Wait- What?- "oh no... the snail is looking over here... here, i'll give you some money... act like you won.."

The 'Human' turned and gave the glowing snail a big smile and thumbs up as they pocketed the 30g. And Sans... Sans continued to stare...

They'd basically just taken his own money.

Sans turned towards the ghost, he thought he had a pretty good idea of how to work it now.

"i'll have another go." He offered.

"oh. okay. ready?" Sans nodded.

He'd channeled his inner Papyrus earlier, but this time he imitated the kid while also changing his pattern just a bit.

His smile was genuine and gloating as the snail crossed the line. First.

"heh." He let out as he turned to the other two. Take that, 'Human'.

"you won… congratulations. as a prize, you get 9G, sorry…" The ghost added quickly. "we have to make a profit somehow."

Sans stared in disbelief as he stood there with the money between his fingers. He heard the 'Human' stifle a small laugh.

"that's okay." Sans said as he pocketed it. He didn't look at the 'Human' who was smiling again. The weight of the experience was pressing down on him.

So… Even when they lose they win, and when he wins he loses. Was that not the story of his life?

"I think I better get going now, Blook." The 'Human' told the ghost as they jumped down off of the fence.

"oh. thank you for coming. it was nice to see you again." They nodded enthusiastically.

"Thank you for your hospitality and showing me your family tradition. I really needed it."

"o-of course. f-feel free to come by any time." They simply nodded again and waved with a big smile as they began to walk off. Sans nodded to Napstablook as well.

"see ya." Sans called as he followed after them. The 'Human' glanced back at him as he joined them on the road instead of hiding in the shadows like usual. They frowned a bit as the red eyes narrowed. But after having lost them for so long he wasn't about to risk it.

"so how was undyne?" He asked. "still alive i see."

Unfortunately.

Their frown deepened and they continued walking in silence, turning their back to him.

He hates them.

They stopped at the middle of the crossroads, their frown still incredibly grave as they lifted their hand and he saw them mouthing something softly to themself. He recognized the motion from before and the mouthed words-

Stay determined...

Their hand lowered and they turned away from Undyne's house, completely ignoring his now blatant presence in their life. He even followed them into Gerson's. The 'Human' eyed Sans as he did, suspicious and uncertain of what to make of it.. Sans only shrugged. It had been awhile since he had been in here.

It was kinda nice, actually, seeing everything, his traveling companion and circumstances aside.

"sup, gerson?" Sans asked as he entered behind the 'Human'. The red eyes flashed his way again, still suspicious... Guess he was messing up their expectations again. Good.

"Woah! Hey there. Long time no see!" The elderly turtle monster eyed the 'Human' beside Sans. He was leaning over the counter a bit shakily. "And just no see, I guess. WaHaHa!"

Sans was surprised to see the 'Human' smiling at Gerson. It wasn't their fake pretending to be friendly face. This one was not much unlike the one they had for MK. Almost real. But just almost.

"I've got some neat junk for sale." Gerson told them.

"i'm not here for anything, but the kiddo has some cash on 'em." The 'Human' nodded as they stepped up to the counter.

"Hey, what's this emblem?" They asked pointing to the wall behind Gerson. Sans almost frowned, not sure of what they were getting at with this conversation. He wasn't sure why they did anything though.

"Eh? You don't know what that is?" They shook their head. Gerson looked at Sans in disbelief. "What are they teaching kids in school nowadays?"

"don't know. i was goodly educated." Gerson rolled his still good eye, but he was also laughing as he turned back to the 'Human'.

"That's the Delta Rune, the emblem of our kingdom." Gerson began. "The Kingdom… of Monsters." Gerson laughed goodheartedly. Sans loved the old guy, he was always good for a laugh. "Great name, huh? It's as I always say… Ol' King Fluffybuns can't name for beans!" The 'Human' was laughing softly to themselves, Sans could see they agreed.

"What's it mean though?" They continued. Oh no… They were going to get Gerson talking on a history subject. This could be awhile. Or not if he couldn't remember. It was always hit or miss.

"That emblem actually predates written history. The original meaning has been lost to time…"

Sans sighed as he looked away absentmindedly. He knew how this story went… And he had a sick feeling he knew why the 'Human' was pressing this conversation. This was another round of their passive aggressive indirect conversation thing.

"All we know is that the triangles symbolize us monsters below, and the winged circle above symbolizes… Somethin' else." Sans gritted his teeth together. Yeah. Somethin' else. "Most people say it's the 'angel', from the prophecy…"

"The prophecy?" The 'Human' asked. The amusement and playfulness to their voice had disappeared. It sounded almost hollow now. As if, they had planned to steer this conversation to affect Sans and had forgotten how it would affect them in the process. Sans eyed them curiously. Their eyes had blanked out as they stared somewhere past Gerson but not directly onto the Delta Ruin.

"Oh yeah… The prophecy." Gerson continued. "Legend has it, an 'angel' who has seen the surface will descend from above and bring us freedom. Lately, the people have been taking a bleaker outlook…"

Both the 'Human' and Sans were looking towards the ground away from each other as he spoke.

"Callin' that winged circle the 'Angel of Death'. A harbinger of destruction, waitin' to 'free' us from this mortal realm…" Gerson finally seemed to catch on to the oppressive atmosphere the room had taken and eyed his two customers for a moment. "Well, in my opinion, when I see that little circle…" He began again more cheerfully. "I jus' think it looks neat!" He laughed loudly and seemed satisfied that the 'Human' had lifted their head to offer him a smile. It wasn't the almost real one from before though. It was a mask. Same as Sans' own as he watched them, his eyes dark.

"King Fluffybuns?" They nodded. "He's a friendly, happy-go-lucky kind of guy…" Sans had to agree with that. "If you keep walking around long enough, you'll probably meet him. He loves to walk around and talk to people."

He does sound kind." The 'human' said softly. Their smile widened. "Why the nickname?"

"Eh? Why do I call Dreemurr 'Fluffybuns?" They nodded again. "Oh! That's a great story…" Gerson paused. "…" Sans tilted his head curiously. "I don't remember it." Sans laughed. He loved this old guy. "But if you come back much later, I'm sure I'll have remembered by then."

"Okay." They promised. They began to turn away from him. "It was nice meeting you."

"Be careful out there, kid!" Gerson called back. "Undyne was just around here asking about somebody who looked like you. Watch your back now, and feel free to come around and buy some more items!"

"My inventory is a bit full." They admitted. "But if I need something I'll be sure to give you my business." Gerson laughed as they exited the shop. Sans sighed.

"welp. guess that's my cue to follow."

"Sans." The skeleton stopped and turned back to the old timer. "They seem like a good kid. Be a shame if somethin' happened to them." Sans stood there for a moment.

"you know what they are." Sans said, incredulous at his apparent concern.

"Son, I've given up on the surface a long time ago. We'll just end up dead anyways. Killin' to get there ain't going to help our cause none."

"well… not much we can do about that," Sans said after the silence had gone on for a bit too long, "it's up to the king isn't it?"

"Yes. I suppose it is." Gerson grumbled. Sans moved to exit the store.

"take care now." Gerson was laughing again.

"I'm not going anywhere." He replied obstinately. Sans chuckled. He hoped not. God, he so hoped not.

"see ya."

The 'Human' was at the box again, having changed into their glasses and holding the notebook to the side. He hadn't seen them use a weapon this whole time but he knew there had to be other perks they were utilizing.

"where to now, pal?" They glared at him over the top of the glasses before heading away from the store. Sans shrugged.

"There is only one way to reverse this spell." Sans turned towards the echo flowers as they repeated what someone had whispered under their breath as they'd read. "If a huge power, equivalent to seven human SOULs, attacks the barrier… It will be destroyed."

The 'Human' kept walking, ignoring the flowers and their whispered echoes, but Sans had to wonder about it... The 'Human' clearly believed the barrier could be broken. Well, he, Sans, knew that the barrier could be broken, and that they didn't need to die to do it. But he just had to wonder... how?

"But this cursed place has no entrances or exits. There is no way a human could come here. We will remain trapped down here forever."

Well… Sans had some news for whoever had written out these plaques… but he could relate to the sentiment..

The 'Human' continued only a little ways farther before being stopped in a FIGHT.

It was a Tem.

Less than two minutes later Sans was laughing harder than he had in so long. Sooo long.

With each "pet" the 'human' was growing more and more frustrated. No matter how much they tried to act cheerful, their face revealed all, and the way their eyes were watering. They were miserable and agitated. And it was just too much. The entire thing. They spared Temmie and Sans tried to stop laughing.

"oh come on! weren't you having fun?" He asked. They were storming away from him, but having a difficult time of it as they struggled to breathe from their allergic reaction. Sans didn't quite get how allergies felt but it seemed to have a lingering effect on them. And his smile only widened…. They were heading towards the entire village full of Tems.

He had to see this. He just had to see this!

This was the most honest he had seen them on the road since meeting them. They were utterly frustrated and Sans was reveling in it.

"hOI! im temmie! and dis is my friend… temmie!" They were pressing their lips together as all the Tems introduced themselves. The human eyed Sans as he remained chuckling at their plight. Suddenly the 'Human' was smiling a bit as they stepped over to the last Tem.

"Hi. I'm Bob."

Sans snorted…. He didn't have a nose. But he didn't have lungs either so guess that didn't exactly matter.

The 'Human' bypassed him and stood next to yet another box but did not open it, their hand reaching out through the air and they were mouthing to themselves.

"stay detemined." Sans whispered. Their head snapped towards him, their eyes pointed through the lense of the glasses as they stared him down. His smile widened. They moved to the box but then turned to him.

"Get over here and make yourself useful." They ordered.

"nah." They grumbled under their breath as they picked out items from the box. They entered the Tem store, hands a bit too full, and Sans followed.

It was endless. It was hilarious. And the human hated every second of it, but worked the system as well as possible without exploding. He was honestly almost impressed they were keeping it together as well as they were.

"come on now, don't be so heartless. look how hard temmie here is working, won't you throw her a bone? she just wants a good education."

The human was staring at him extremely straight-faced. Without looking they took out their money bag and Sans stared in shock as they poured the contents onto the counter.

If laughter added years to one's life…

But as it was, Sans was dying. It was all too much.

The 'human' had to lower their head onto the counter at one point as Sans struggled to breath. At first he thought it was out of continued frustration, but in the corner of his eye he caught sight of the shutter running through them as they tried not to laugh along. It was like a cold blanket being thrown over him. His laughter died as it weighed him down.

He'd walked right into it. He'd given them exactly what they wanted.

He'd played along.

Sans straightened his back and cleared his throat as he killed the laughter with new ease. The 'Human' lifted their head as Temmie continued to badger them about buying and selling items, but they kept casting glances Sans' way, immediately noticing his change in disposition. A frown graced their face as Sans refused to laugh anymore.

Good.

The 'Human' huffed loudly beside him as they made their way out of the shop and back to the box. From over their shoulder Sans could see that they had nearly emptied it out now. There was a piece of pie, the stick from earlier, what appeared to be a spider donut, those Nice Creams, and Pap's spaghetti. They returned the Nice Cream and Pap's spaghetti to their inventory.

"man, you sure cleaned house." He said darkly. They nodded somberly. "Gerson was right though, you're gonna need more healing items than that." They shrugged.

"I've got the money." They whispered. "and I've got a bit more in my inventory still… Not that you actually care." Their voice was low and even. Sans shrugged. True. Very true. They saved again and Sans watched, barely managing not to make another comment.

"You're not so original, you know." They said suddenly, their voice a bit biting. "I always made that Tem joke with..."

Their lips pressed together. Sans filled in the blanks.

With Frisk…

Actually, Sans had some questions about all that. For all that he had heard about Frisk, had felt about Frisk, he still had no clue who Frisk actually was and what they looked like. He'd ask but… That would key the human in that he cared about something in all of this and they could use it against him. He'd already given them enough recently. And besides… He didn't think they'd want to talk about it anyways. So would asking them questions about it be the right way for Sans to go? Maybe… But Sans was also afraid of what they'd answer.

They eyed the shop sadly over their shoulder and he could see it on their face…

Frisk would have loved all of that.

Why did… this hurt?

He hated this… He hated them…

He was tense as they turned away from him and he trailed behind them as they left the Tem Village. They stopped in the darkness.

"Can you… pretend to leave me alone for a bit?" They asked.

"what, don't like the company? thought you wanted me to come along?" They were silent for a second.

"I want Woshua to get these Temmie hairs off of me, I might not get attacked if you're here. And after that I don't think you want Undyne seeing you with me." Sans hummed. Yeah that was probably not the best.

"fine. but just know i really do have my eye socket on you." They nodded and he let them walk away alone. He teleported into the shadows; thankful to have the chance to get away from them for a while. He let himself shutter and relax with a loud sigh.

They didn't do much. They found Woshua like they had said and then walked around Waterfall silently much like they had before running into MK. It was extremely tedious turning on all of the lights to keep walking a few more meters. This was all nice but Sans was growing impatient with it, and he wasn't even the one doing all of the walking.

And now they were forced to walk through water in almost complete darkness to continue. He didn't have much sympathy here, to be assured, but it was growing a bit ridiculous as the 'human' came to a halt and he watched them from a small patch of grass-

"Behind you."

Sans froze on the spot knowing that voice. It had come from an echo flower but light was returning to the area to reveal Undyne. It'd been a trap. There was no way out.

But Sans now knew to not assume anything anymore.

"Seven. Seven human souls." Sans watched curiously as Undyne spoke. The 'human' had a serious expression as they stared Undyne down. They almost looked determined. "With the power of seven human souls, our king…. King Asgore Dreemurr…. Will become a god."

The 'human' was scowling now, and from where he was he could tell something had stirred within them at the sound of that name. The determination was real as the anger worked its way through their body.

"With that power, Asgore can finally shatter the barrier. He will finally take the surface back from humanity and give them back the suffering and pain that we have endured." The 'human's' fingers were curling in and out of fists as they gritted their teeth together and their chest noticeably moved up and down.

The fire inside of them was heating up once again. Sans wasn't sure what was stoking it though. They weren't surprised by Undyne's appearance, and they should have heard these words so many times before….

"Understand, human?" Undyne continued. "This is your only chance at redemption."

The 'Human' looked down sharply, the anger and determination cut off in an instant.

"Give up your soul... Or I'll tear it from your body."

The 'Human' forced their gaze up again, their expression daring Undyne to act and Undyne seemed to take it to heart. She summoned a spear and crouched in anticipation of the attack. The 'Human' didn't even flinch. Undyne rushed forward and Sans saw the wisps of magic around their chest as their Soul was called forth.

And yet- Something moved besides Sans and he would have jumped out of his skin as a blur of yellow bounded out from right there beside him.

"Undyne! I'll help you fight!"

The red eyes closed and they breathed out in clear relief, but once they opened again it was as if they hadn't reacted at all, keeping the same fierce expression on Undyne as MK stood between them. Sans shouldn't have even been surprised by this point… MK looked extremely confused as they looked back and forth, their eyes searching. Then they turned to the 'human'.

"Yo! You did it!" MK exclaimed. The 'Human 's' fierce expression was falling away again and they seemed pained as MK continued to speak. "Undyne is RIGHT in front of you! You've got front row seats to her fight!"

That was certainly one way to put it.

This kid was just too much. So innocent and oblivious. Somehow, Sans could see similar thoughts running through the 'human's' head, it was as if they couldn't understand it. MK was looking back and forth again. Undyne hadn't moved the entire time, spear still raised. The 'human's' expression was twisting into a strange smile; they seemed on the verge of laughing, traces of tears at the corner of their eyes as they held it in.

"…wait… Who's she fighting?" MK asked. Undyne snapped into motion. She took MK by the ear and began to pull them away from the 'human' quickly, to safety. "H-hey!" MK protested, but gave up quickly in trying to get her to let them go. "You aren't gonna tell my parents about this, are you?"

As soon as Undyne and MK disappeared the 'human' broke out into a strange, strangled laughter. They fell back against the wall and struggle to breathe as they covered their mouth.

"You aren't gonna tell my parents about this, are you?" The echo flower beside them repeated. They lowered their hand and took a deep breath as they rested their head against the wall.

"Uughh…" They let out.

"you seemed a bit relieved there." Sans called out suddenly from his place in the grass and they did jump out of their skin.

They were springing to their feet; a very strong curse word coming out of their mouth. They settled down before taking a fully defensive stance. They lifted their fist and shook it beside them as they controlled themself.

"wow. language." Sans said as he stepped out of the grass. "better not catch you talkin' to my brother like that." He warned darkly.

"You startled me!" They shot back. "I always said you needed a bell…"

"yeah. no. doesn't sound like me." He said as he came to a halt.

"That's the point. You don't sound like anything." They countered. They seemed to relax and the confrontational aura around them disappeared as they eyed him cautiously. "Thanks for not… sabotaging me." They mumbled, looking away from him, crossing their arms. Sans tilted his head in confusion. "I was afraid you'd sent them home." Oh. MK.

"you really think they'd have listened?" Sans asked. They laughed a bit and shook their head as they took a step forward.

"No, but you could have taken them back." They admitted. Sans hadn't thought about that… Oh well. It was behind them all now.

"that was some brave act for someone unsure the cavalry would be coming." They shrugged weakly. "you know you can make all those faces you want, but you can't hide the truth from yourself. you can't hide it from me." They were smiling. It was cruel, their eyes disquieting as they tilted their head towards him.

"Well what do you want from me?" They asked with fake playfulness. "For me to shiver in fear?"

"can't say i'm entirely opposed to it." He told them.

"A little help would be nice." They snapped.

This again.

"what? a weak skeleton like me going up against the head of the royal guard? nah… i'll pass."

"You're so full of shit." They said as they glared at him. Then they sighed. "But no… like… keeping me from getting hit. Somehow." They trailed off uncertainly.

"still see no incentives…" Sans told them. Their anger was returning but they were storming away from him.

"Whatever." They grumbled.

...

..

.

"… Hmm… If I say my wish… You promise you won't laugh at me?"

The 'Human's' anger had washed out of them the longer they had trailed through the water. Sans couldn't see their full expression, only in profile, but he could tell.. It was in their stance and how they looked upwards towards the stone sky..

"Of course I won't laugh!"

"Someday, I'd like to climb this mountain we're all buried under. Standing under the sky, looking at the world all around… That's my wish."

There was the sound of laughter echoing and the 'Human' looked down silently at their open hands.

"... Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh!"

The 'Human's' fingers curled together, the red eyes closing.

"Sorry, it's just funny… That's my wish, too."

"Frisk..." It was low, hardly a whisper, but one of the echo flowers caught it.

"Frisk." It repeated back.

The 'Human' lifted their head in surprise as the other echo flowers began to follow, catching the word and echoing it around the area. The word overlapped, louder and louder.

Sans' grim smile was gone and he felt struck, something in his would-be-stomach. The 'Human's' expression as they looked out over the field was clear horror.

The chorus began to teeter out and The 'Human' was left breathing in and out alone, they looked pale. They took a small step forward, as carefully as possible, but still it was too much and the movement of the water shook one of the echo flowers.

"Frisk." It repeated.

"Frisk." Said another.

Frisk. Frisk. Frisk.

The red eyes closed and they covered their face with their hands as they leaned forward in pain.

Sans took a thoughtless step forward, it hurt, but he caught himself.

That's just a past emotion. As real as the voice of the echo flowers. Someone else felt it, not him. Some other Sans for someone else. Not them. Not the red eyes. For-

Sans froze even more in his place.

"Frisk." An echo flower whispered beside him.

These feelings, looking at them like this, were the same that he felt for Frisk. They were his feelings for Frisk.

Sans' mind was working fast, trying to understand- if he could understand..

They were Frisk- No, that didn't make sense. No, but...

Oh...

Oh.

There was another thought that Sans hadn't had before. All this time grieving, their admitting- Frisk was dead, they had killed them... A RESET would have fixed that, should have fixed that. Unless-

The 'Human' lowered their hands and Sans slowly lifted his head in realization, his eye sockets wide as the lights shrunk to horrified pin pricks.

Those red eyes… They always looked like they didn't belong on their face. Those little flashes of Sans caring, of those short bursts of intense pain and grief. . All those times they were acting like someone else. Looked like someone else.

 _"Despite everything… it's still…."_

"Frisk." The echo flowers whispered together.

The kid in the pictures… That wasn't this thing, not the red eyes, it was Frisk.

It's not a memory, just a feeling, just knowing. Sans knew it. He was right.

Sans was numb as he watched them walk quickly away now, almost a run..

A demon... A demon possessing the body of an angel.

Sans was numb as he watched them walk out over the bridge, his fingers resting on the faded, torn picture in his pocket and the locket underneath-

"Yo!"

Sans watched MK get dangerously close to the 'Human', this demon.

"Yo, I know I'm not supposed to be here, but..." MK seemed uncharacteristically nervous. "I wanna ask you something. Man, I've never had to ask anyone this before... Um... Yo... You're human, right? Haha."

The Demon was giving MK a sad expression.

"Man! I knew it!... Well, I know it now, I mean... Undyne told me, um, 'stay away from that human'. So, like, um... I guess that makes us enemies or something. But I kinda stink at that, haha."

The Demon's head fell.

"I kinda stink at being friends." They admitted softly. MK seemed caught off guard but then swallowed.

"Well then, uh, it should be easy? Yo, say something mean so I can hate you?" The Demon was grimacing, shaking their head. "Please?"

"No."

"Yo, what?" MK asked in surprise. "So I have to do it?" MK sighed. "Here goes nothing…" MK took a deep breath. "Yo, I… I hate your guts." There was a moment of awkward silence. "Man, I… I'm such a turd."

The Demon was not looking up, Sans was starting to worry even more acutely-

Something was off about them.

Something more than usual.

"I'm… I'm gonna go home now." MK said, taking a step back hesitantly before turning around and started to rush off. They only made it a few steps before staggering and falling off the ledge. "Yo, w-w-wait! Help! I tripped!"

Sans jumped, searching frantically for a place to teleport closer. The kid was being held up by the fabric of their shirt caught onto the wood. The Demon was tense... but unmoving.. Just letting their so called 'friend' hang there dangerously! But then Sans caught sight of what was making them hesitate, movement in the corner of his vision... Undyne had come into view. Sans found a precarious ledge to stand on and he watched the scene anxiously.

Finally, The Demon was running forward, but at the same time, Undyne made an uncertain motion, half wanting to lunge at The Demon and half certain it was a trap- The Demon froze, flinching, just as uncertain by the movement-

"I'm slip-" MK began and The Demon turned their attention back to MK in terror at the sound of ripping fabric. The Demon fell forward and caught hold of MK's torso. The two were dangling dangerously over the ledge. They were both slipping-

The Demon gasped loudly-

"SANS!"

The sound of his name echoed through the cavern, shrill and frantic, as the two kids began to fall-

Sans jumped, his hand shooting out quickly to turn MK's soul Blue. In one swift motion the two of them were back up on the ledge. The Red Eyed Demon was holding MK tightly, and there was a short moment as they both caught their breath..

"A-A-Are you okay?" The Demon demanded with short breath. MK was shaking, but nodded.

"Y-Yeah."

Undyne was looking around the cavern in confusion and Sans cringed even as a rang of other emotions fought for dominance. Oh man, she knew he was there, but Undyne was returning her attention to the situation on the bridge. The Demon looked up in fear. MK was jumping up, though, the situation apparent, finally, clicking into place in the child's mind. The Demon was picking themself up and taking a weak step back as MK stood in front of them protectively.

"Y… Y… Yo… dude. If… If y-you wanna hurt my friend… You're gonna have to get through me, first." Sans had never seen Undyne so thrown off guard. She took a step back and stared at the young monster. Then she was backing up farther and turning away.

And Sans was still frozen on his precarious ledge, still struggling to understand.

MK turned back towards the Demon.

"She's gone…" The Demon nodded, they still hadn't caught their breath. "Yo, you really saved my skin."

"But I didn't!" They cried, breathlessly. "I h-hesitated to act. We were going to fall!" They were looking around the cavern, Sans knew they were searching for him and it set his rage ignite. "I... I messed up...!"

Yeah... He bet they did.

"Well, I messed up being enemies." MK offered. "Guess it was just a nice thought, haha."

The Demon was holding their head.

"We'll just have to be friends instead. See? You're not actually so bad at it after all."

"You don't understand. You just really don't understand!" MK was watching them sadly.

"...Well... I sort of need to get home. I bet my parents are worried sick about me." The Demon was lifting their head and nodded slowly. "So... I guess... See you later?"

"Y-Yeah.. Later..."

MK was racing away, more careful this time and The Demon stood, clearly still distraught as they began to back away. Once they were off the bridge they stopped and seemed to be trying to collect themself. Even from a distance, Sans could see that they were still shaking.

Teleporting from his precarious position, Sans stood in front of them, the anger radiating off of them.

"i don't appreciate being used like that, _**red**_." He said dangerously. They lifted their head in apparent confusion. "oh don't give me that face." He snapped. "forcing my hand into getting involved like that, right after you asked me for help? such a real coincidence." He continued sarcastically. "is this just another game? risking that kid's life to get back at me?"

"You think I did that on _**purpose**_?!" They demanded, lifting themself off of their knees and leaning in towards him dangerously. When he didn't respond their eyes widened in anger. "I didn't!" They shouted. "I didn't mean for that to happen!"

Sans tilted his head, not believing it at all, and they could see he didn't, but what else was he supposed to think? They were just so angry at him. It was rolling off of them. They shook their head and began to storm off once more, but then they stopped in hesitation. They seemed to lean forward but then coward back, they looked sick to their stomach.

"scared to go die for real, kid?" He asked mockingly. They looked back over their shoulder, fear still in their expression. The red eyes then hardened as they turned away from him.

"I'm not afraid of death..."

"sure ya ain't." The Demon had been shaking their head as he spoke.

"I've never been afraid of dying." They told him. "I'm..." The resolve broke quickly and they had to swallow. "I'm afraid of failing.."

They were looking at their hands again. Those dark brown hands that weren't theirs.

"How can I face them?" They whispered. "It's all my fault and if I fail..."

The fingers curled together again into fists.

"Even at their lowest they could always pull through. But... In the end, they always were more determined than me."

They looked sad and weighted down as they lowered their hands and stared at the wall.

"You said I better hope my anger was enough... And you're not wrong.. Anger. Spite. They seem to be my go to for determination." They shook their head lightly. "They were always slow, patient, and they'd do anything forever to get what they wanted. I just lash out and keep going until my anger either wins or runs out... All those times I killed everyone..."

There was a blaze of memory in their gaze as they placed a hand on their chest.

"I'd died for this! Why weren't they all willing to do the same? I came back when _they_ called! When I was determined, why couldn't they just back _me_ up? See what all of it meant and agree? Why hadn't he just backed up up?!" They turned towards Sans, their hand shooting out towards him. "Why can't you just back me up?!"

They sighed, their head falling as they crossed their arms, hugging themself.

"... I know why... I was wrong. I had it all wrong and then I did it again not even a timeline ago. So... How can I ask you for help? How can I expect anyone to come?"

Their face was masked in darkness..

"Frisk should have just Erased me... That first time I called... They should have just taken back their Soul and left me to the Void.. But they Saved me. After all I did. To them. To everyone. They chose Mercy and were determined to get us to the surface. To let us heal..." They looked up finally, meeting Sans' gaze with tears refusing to fall as they clung to the sides of those red eyes. "They were just too good, Sans..."

They've said the same thing before, Sans remembers, about Papyrus...

"And they loved you more than life itself." Sans couldn't help but not the touch of accusation that laced their voice, but it is short lived. The red eyes closed and they lowered their head again in shame. "So no... I'm not afraid of dying..." Their voice was growing stronger despite the tears in their eyes. "I'm afraid you all will be stuck down here and I'll have taken everything from them."

There was a pause...

"I know I don't deserve it... And I know you've been beaten down too many times to count... but... please... If you have any inclination about them. If you feel _anything_. Do it for them, or... even just for yourself."

There was true conviction in their voice but then... it faltered again.

"I don't think my best… will be good enough." They continued looking away from him towards the ground, but their focus was too distant. "Because it's never been good enough before."

Sans has to watch them for a moment, trying to pinpoint where he had recently heard something similar…

"i think you best get movin' along..." Sans said finally. "undyne's not the patient type."

The Demon... The Red Eyes... sighed... but they did not explode like he had anticipated... but he supposed.. they knew he was going to refuse them again. Yet they'd still asked. He didn't get them. It was... frustrating... The Red Eyes uncrossed their arms and turned away from him.

"I'll just have to prove us wrong." They said as they walked away. Sans saw their fingers curling back into fists. "Because then... I'll be finally proving Frisk _right_."


	10. Mistake

" **Seven**."

Undyne towered above them on the edge of the cliff face, her stance tall and rigid, ready for battle. A battle she only held off out of a sense of duty.

A duty to tell, explain, the monologue Sans knew she practiced every morning. The story all Monsters knew. Their tragedy. Their hope. Their salvation.

"Seven human souls, and King Asgore will become a god."

The Demon glared up at her, their expression unwavering, the only betrayal of their emotions the pressing of their lips.

" **Six**." Undyne continued. Six- "That's how many we have collected thus far." Undyne turned towards them. "Understand?" She now demanded. "Through your seventh and final soul, this world will be transformed."

The red eyes narrowed, lips pressed even tighter.

"First, however, as is customary for those who make it this far... I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people." And Sans wondered how far Undyne would go... "It all started, long ago..." Before she broke and jumped back into the heat of it. Too impatient, too self-assured, too determ- "No, you know what?" Oh okay, he- "SCREW IT!" The Demon was getting into a defensive position, their jaw set, their fists raised, already knowing how all this would go. "WHY SHOULD I TELL YOU THAT STORY WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE?! NGAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

The helmet was off and Undyne's hair was flowing freely behind her, as vibrant and red as the eyes glaring up at her.

"YOU!" Undyne hollered down. Her composure was gone, all tradition and form. "You're standing in the way of everybody's hopes and dreams!" And Sans couldn't help but watch her with genuine interest as she spoke. He didn't know her half as well as Papyrus did, but he couldn't deny her passion, her resolve, how inspiring it would be to anybody else other than him, someone who afforded to give a damn- "Alphy's history books made me think humans were cool.. with their giant robots and flowery swordswomen."

Wait- What-?

"BUT YOU?" Undyne continued to rage. "You're just a coward! Hiding behind that kid so you could run away from me again!"

The reminder of how Sans had been used as well stung and distracted Sans from his bewildered confusion and amusement- She was right.

Manipulative. Coward.

"And! AND!..." Undyne seemed genuinely flustered, unable to form her words. "... and something's been bothering me, too."

Her face grew more serious, her brow furrowing.

"The whole time I was chasing after you... I felt something... Strange." Sans froze. "The echoes of something warm, something..." No... No, she couldn't be implying that she- "Something like _'I miss being friends with you'_." But she was! She was implying she felt something about the kid- about the RESETs! Wh- How? What did that mean?

Sans stared at Undyne, trying to wrap his skull around it, but quickly he glanced to The Demon down below. He expected them to be unfazed by this, taking it as a grain of salt, something they had heard before, but to Sans' surprise, The red eyes... also looked alarmed, surprised. It was just gone in a moment as they did their best to hide it while Undyne continued.

"BUT THAT'S RIDICULOUS! I WOULD NEVER GET CHUMMY WITH A COWARD LIKE YOU!" Undyne raged. "You must have been mind-controlling me! Manipulating people to make them like you..." Undyne was shaking, you could even hear it in her voice. Red eyes were lowering and there was a grimace that just would not be hidden. And Sans could tell- Those actions had not been their own-

They were thinking about Frisk again.

"What a Grade- A FREAK!"

The red eyes snapped upwards again, fierce anger returning, a fire blazing.

Heh... For all their unpredictability, there was one thing that never changed. An insult to Frisk was the gravest of sins. Sans could only imagine that was how Undyne's words were being taken. But the anger... got the better of them, as always.

"Would you rather I just kill everyone instead?" They shouted, taunting- It was definitely NOT the right thing to say to the warrior who already wanted their head... or to Sans who they knew was listening.. Already knowing what they did-

"I'd rather you'd just die!" Undyne shouted back. "It would be more valuable to everyone!"

Red eyes blinked and took a step back as they grit their teeth, some pain flashing inside them.

And Sans had thought it. He'd wished them dead multiple times over now. He had even-

 _"you can be angry all ya want. i killed ya. sorry not sorry."_

Sans pushed that thought away and focused on the present. What was actually happening and not on something that hasn't even happened anymore. But Sans had thought it. Felt it. He has felt everything Undyne was bursting at the top of her lungs. Manipulative. Coward. Liar. Murderer. LiarLiarLiar- He hasn't believed a single thing they've said this entire time. But... But that look on their face just now...

"That's right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom!"

And that was the expression of someone who believed every word of it.

And their words from just a minute ago crept up again-

But Sans won't admit to the uncomfortable feeling he has. It's just another forgotten and now meaningless memory.

"Now enough! For everyone's hopes! For everyone's dreams! And for my own freaking dignity! I, UNDYNE, will knock you down!"

The Demon took another step back and raised their hand out to the side. They hesitated, staring at what appeared to be an empty space for a moment in apprehension.

 _"Stay Determined-"_

Sans watched as the red eyes closed, their muscles tensed, a howling wind played with their hair, and when the red eyes opened again... They turned back towards Undyne and crouched once more defensively.

"Hit me with your best shot, Fish!" They shouted up at her. Undyne sneered.

"That's it then. No more running away!" Undyne summoned a spear and threw herself down. "HERE I COME!" The bright red Soul arose out of their chest. "En guarde!"

The Red Soul turned Green.

"As long as you're green you can't escape!" Undyne declared as they checked her stats. "Unless you learn to face danger head-on... You won't last a SECOND against ME!"

The shield formed in front of the Soul and red eyes narrowed, fully ready to fight.

And in the end, they were honestly a lot better than Sans had anticipated. They manipulated the shield like they manipulated everything else, with ease. Their hands flicked left and right, shifting back as they blocked the spears raining down upon them.

"Is that all you've got?!" They shouted.

They were several minutes in and while Undyne was sweating she hadn't hit the kid all that much, despite her best efforts. Sans could see that it was frustrating her... He could also see that little red eyes down there was purposely feeding into Undyne's anger in order to stoke their own. It was a risky action. Undyne's attacks were growing faster and more difficult with every failed hit, but though it was risky... like they had said... anger was their strength.. It was fueling their own determination, and more importantly, their speed.

It was also wearing Undyne out faster... which is what Sans assumed they wanted. The question was... who would get worn out first..

"Even if you could beat me.. No human has EVER made it past Asgore." They dodged her attack once again, but not her words. Sans could hear the grunt of anger escaping them as red eyes stared Undyne down.

And it was... revealing...

Sans was starting to notice another pattern.

If you didn't want an angry demon, you didn't insult Frisk. But... you also didn't bring up Asgore... Or maybe more specifically-

"Honestly, killing you now is an act of mercy...!" The resolve in the red eyes strengthened. They seemed to agree... But who did they see it as a mercy for?

Undyne flipped her spear impatiently.

"SO STOP BEING SO RESILIENT!" She raged as she threw her attacks. "What are humans even made out of?! Anyone else would be DEAD by now!"

"Determination!" The Demon shouted back as they jumped out of the way from the attack that would have made them Green again.

"Alphys did tell me humans were determined..." Undyne admitted. "Now I see what she meant by that.." Undyne threw her attack yet again and grunted as it missed. Again. "But I'm determined, too. Determined to end this RIGHT NOW!" The Demon had just enough time to land and look up at Undyne who was raging yet again after a close miss. "RIGHT NOW!"

"Ah!" They staggered back as they were struck considerably for the first time. Welp. Their luck couldn't last forever.

"RIGHT... NOW!" They had barely recovered in time to doge the new spears rising up from the ground, hissing in pain as they moved. "Ha... Ha..."

Undyne then shouted and drew her finger across her throat as she smiled menacingly, despite her panting. And yet... The Demon was still managing-

"NGAAHH! DIE ALREADY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

The demon landed and looked up at Undyne as they caught their breath. Their expression was angry, still determined, but then... it was seeping out of them.

"Honestly... I don't really want to fight you."

Sans saw Undyne's face fill with surprise. It was a strange shift in tactics, Sans noted. They had done nothing but taunt the warrior before.

"It's just... I can't afford to die."

Undyne frowned at their statement.

"WELL TOO BAD!" She shouted forcefully, reading her next attack.

[Spare]

"NNNNGAAH! I'LL NEVER TAKE MERCY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!"

The Demon screamed as they were struck with a spear. Sans could tell their HP was getting on the low side, and they seemed to be thinking the same thing as their turn came up. They settled down, swallowing dryly as stood straight and reached for their inventory. But then... they paused... staring at their inventory... the gears still turning, thinking... And then...

They pulled out Papyrus' spaghetti.

"W-What?" Undyne staggered, watching the little demon eat it. Sans immediately know that this had been a bad idea. The worst idea. What were they thinking- Undyne was in a state of pure, burning rage. "UGH! YOU MANIPULATIVE LITTLE- I SEE THROUGH- **I'LL KILL YOU!** "

Undyne picked up the nearest boulder. It was easy, as if it was weightless, and in seconds she was throwing it down with all her might. And the human- demon-

There was a gasp as they watched the boulder race towards them. And there was no way- No dodging that- No way their little shield could protect them from that. They clutched the plate of spaghetti, the terror etched onto their face, unmistakably-

 _There was a horrible screeching sound-_

 _"kid!"_

The boulder crashed down hard, and the kid- demon- the red-

Sans' outstretched fingers were shaking, the magic racing through him and then cutting off drastically as he collapsed.

And the kid-

The Soul was turning from Blue to Red again as Sans' magic let go of them. They were picking themself up, shaking just as much as he was, seeming just as dizzy and disoriented. The boulder, colliding right where they had been two seconds ago, rolled a bit as they tried hard to catch their breath. The plate of spaghetti was scattered all over the ground in front of them. Lost when Sans had yanked them forward to safety-

"WHAT?!" Or at least, into less immediate danger. Undyne was red in the face and Sans himself was growing paler than normal as his mind tried to figure out what had happened exactly. He hadn't... That hadn't been- planned- Not like when he had been forced to save them and MK. This- It- But it had just felt too familiar. The boulder rushing toward them, it was all too familiar. It was-

Red- The human- demon! They had enough of themself gathered mentally again to register that they didn't have time to stand there any longer. To gather the rest of themself up. And immediately, they were up on their feet, staggering a bit as they rushed forward, past Undyne, running for their life.

[Flee]

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Undyne shouted, but then she quickly turned towards the darkness. "SANS WHAT THE HELL?!"

Sans jumped.

Oh shit!

"uh..." Sans' voice cracked uncertainly, but there was no hiding he was there. Not now. Not anymore. Any questions she might have had when he'd saved them before- saved MK! before.. They were gone. Sans coughed. "sorry, if- if i'd known you were there i wouldn't have b-budded in." He could see she wanted to punch him, but knew she also had no time to waste in going after the kid- demon! "but hey, don't we need the soul intact?" Sans argued as she stormed off.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"

Shit.

Sans tried to shortcut, to keep up with the duo, but he didn't know what direction they were headed. Only the general idea- Hotland.

Sans arrived at his station, shaking still, and exhausted. but still too shaken to even think about sleeping-

And Sans watched as the human- demon! The demon! Red Eyes! Demon! The Demon raced past him without so much as a glance and ended up skidding across the last half of the bridge and rolled in the hot dust of the other side.

And Undyne- She was hot on their heels- literally. She was even more red-faced, hyperventilating as she saw him standing there.

"YOU JUST- LET THEM!" She panted.

"I thought you didn't want me to interfere anymore." Sans offered nervously. She was so done with him. So, so done. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but left him, racing towards the bridge.

But she...

She didn't...

She didn't make it.

Undyne staggered and took quick, gulping breaths.

"Armor.. so.. hot..." She was the one shaking now.. "But I can't... give up..."

Sans jumped as Undyne collapsed face first onto the ground.

Shit!

He took two steps before remembering he could teleport. He was across the bridge in a second, but as he got there, he stopped...

The Demon was already at the water cooler... filling two glasses of water as they continued to catch their breath. Sans stood frozen, sure they would take off now, taking advantage of the fact they knew he would have to help Undyne, that he couldn't possibly leave her like this but of course they were sick enough they could do just that-

But no... No. Instead.. They were heading back over to Undyne. What were they-?

They answered his question, at least... the most basic sense of his question, as they poured a cup of water onto the distressed fish's face.

In any other moment, Sans would have laughed, reasoned it made sense. She was a fish outta water, after all...

But right then..

This seemed like the last possible thing they would or should do, but then it hits him. Ah. Right. Of course. They wouldn't.

It's Frisk...

... Frisk..

As the last of the water poured out, Undyne was beginning to stir. The Demon was taking a sip of their own water when the warrior was finally conscious. Sans took a step back farther into the shadows, ready for the Fight to restart and also not ready to be shouted at for doing nothing again, at least not yet-

But nothing... is exactly what happened.

Nothing.

Undyne lay there, tense, prepared, and yet... surprised... Her single eyes was wide as she watched them, uncomprehending.

The Demon lowered their glass and offered Undyne a shaky, unconvincing smile. They were still catching their breath, but trying to hide it. Again, unconvincingly.

"Wow." They managed. "That was so intense!" There was a soft chuckle. "My heart hasn't raced like that in forever!"

Sans' gaze narrowed, clinging to the one thing that made sense in all of this.

They were trying to work their way under Undyne's scales through praise. They clearly did not know the woman as well as they thought if they thought that was going to work... But the red eyes were opening wide in apparent excitement as they looked down at her as they managed to choke out one last thing- "That was so cool!"

They were coughing to the side and taking more short sips of water when they could. Undyne was lifting herself up, only to freeze and ready herself to attack as her opponent lifted their own hand and reached into their inventory again, and then... They are holding it out for Undyne to take...

It's one of those chocolate Nice Creams...

"I really don't want to fight..." They said again... sadly.

Undyne's confused expression transformed as she bared her teeth and slapped the Nice Cream away. It fell onto the ground, barely avoiding the sad fate of falling into the lava below the bridge. The red eyes followed it for a second, but then they were looking back down at Undyne who was wordlessly struggling to her feet. Yet, they didn't rise to defend themself...

Undnye towered over them again, despite the shaking her stance was deadly. The red eyes hardened and stared unflinchingly. And the two of them stared.. The moment was tense, the air turning darkly before finally... Undyne turned her head slightly away.

"Tsh." Undyne spat as she turned away and began to storm off. As much as she could, at least...

And Sans... was frozen. Happy he didn't have to carry her home but at the same time... He still did not understand... He's still... reeling...

And once Undyne was out of sight, it very quickly became evident that... The Demon was still reeling, too...

They tried to collect the Nice Cream up from the ground, but now Sans could see them shaking... They couldn't keep their grip. The Nice Cream fell with a soft thud beside them and this time they left it there, not even trying to pick it up as they gave into the shakes that were working through their small, crouched body. Crouched. Shaking- Sans stepped out from the shadows and through a shortcut, right there beside them. The Demon jumped, a sharp gasp escaping them as they did, and they finally took up that protective stance-

But-

"woah." Sans lifted his hands up, trying to show them he wasn't planning anything. Not this time, not right now. He wasn't looking for a fight here though he understood why they thought that. The last time he'd saved them, less than an hour ago, he'd exploded. He'd been used, taken advantage of, and maybe he should again. He'd given them what they wanted. Again. But this... This felt...

This felt different.

"I didn't-" Their voice is weak, breaking as they gave out a small laugh. It doesn't take long for that laugh to reveal itself for what it was- Their last defense from falling apart... And it fails. They fall.

They buried their face in their hands, the base of their palms pressed into their eyes as they tried hard not to cry.

"I didn't mean to. I didn't mean... I'm sorry, Frisk- I'm sorry."

Sans felt something inside him falling as well. Sinking heavy into the pit of where his stomach would be.

"I didn't mean..."

It had felt... like living a memory... acting it out, a forceful reaction even though he couldn't remember-

"I-"

Sans slowly knelt down beside them and hesitantly... put a hand on their back. They didn't even jump this time... maybe too far broken at the moment, or maybe just like when Undyne had been shouting at them...

Maybe if he killed them right then, this time they would stay-

But...

But..

"just this once..." Sans said slowly.. "i'll believe ya."

Whatever happened to Frisk..

They hadn't meant to do it.

They broke out into full sobs now, crying into their hands.

Sans pulled his hand away from them and stuffed them into his pockets. The cold metal of the locket made him jump and as he moved his fingers away from it, he felt the worn, torn picture too. He turned his head away from the crying being next to him..

He shouldn't have done that.

He really, really, should not have done that...

It's minutes, a good half hour really, before the h- The Demon successfully picked up the Nice Cream this time, put it away, and stood up. Their tears now only sniffles and they made their way back to the water cooler, taking a cup. Another. They look like hell.

Appropriate.

Tired and hell.

He once again wonders just how much sleep they got last night.

They've worked their way through several cups and then stayed there in silence for a moment...

"I was trying something different..." They said finally, as if.. they hadn't just been crying their eyes out. As if nothing had happened between them. Sans was grateful. It meant he too could try that. Nothing had happened. He had not given them an emotional inch to take a mile... "It'd worked with Pap... but that was Pap."

Yes, give him something else to refuel his hatred.

"... I was so stupid..." They said softly.

"can't argue with you there." Sans said, trying to sound nonchalant.

The Demon began to walk, still staggering a bit in their walk before they came to another stop and lifted their hand. Their expression is still tired, drained... There is no silent chant this time as they SAVED.

They lowered their hand.

"... Don't worry." They said suddenly and Sans' narrowed his eye sockets suspiciously. "... I know you didn't save me for me..." Sans was tense.. "But.. thanks.."

"... sure." As soon as he said it, he was immediately chastising himself again.

They began their journey again and Sans stood still, hands in tight fists inside his pockets. They stopped and turned back towards him.

"Are you... coming with me?" They asked. Sans glared at them. "It's just... You've been watching me more closely than usual." They explained.

Yeah, and look at what good that had done him-

"You might as well get something out of it."

Sans was... uncertain and tilted his head a bit.

"what do you mean by that?" Sans asked. A shadow of a smile finally returned to their face, a mischievous gleam in those red eyes.

"You like Mettaton's shows, don't you?"

"well.. yeah."

"I can't stand him."

"yeeeah...?"

"Well... don't you want a front row seat?"


	11. LABRADORY

"DOES THAT MEAN THERE ARE DOGS INSIDE?"

* * *

The Demon didn't even flinch at the sudden change of lightening as the two of them entered the lab, but for Sans it took a moment and a few blinks to understand that everything seemed off because there was a spotlight blasting onto them from some unknown source up above. Or more specifically- 'the human'..

The Demon continued, un-phased by the near blinding light and by the fact that their face was being broadcast largely onto the TV screen in the corner- in fact they seemed to be pointedly ignoring that little fact. It drew Sans' attention immediately, they pretended it wasn't even there, looking straight on ahead...

"uhh... it's you?" Sans started, but they did not acknowledge him- They did not acknowledge the screen. And Sans suddenly remembered-

Guess it... technically wasn't them... now was it?

It's been awhile since Sans was in the lab, but as he looked around he didn't see anything really out of place- well other than the giant tv with 'the human's' face on it- And where was Alphys?

The Demon stopped expectantly in the middle of the room and waited, knowing more about all of this than Sans, and probably the answer to his unspoken question. Sans stood beside them in the spotlight, he was starting to fourth guess his decision to give in and follow them in here.

It was giving them what they wanted again- It was playing right into their hand-

But... He wasn't entirely comfortable leaving them in here alone with the robot they had just admitted to hating and Alphys who-... Who sometimes got into things that were way over her head-

Not that he had the right to judge her for that-

Another bright light shone into the room as a new door opened. Alphys' shadowy figure emerged, distracted and muttering to herself about what he couldn't make out. The room flooded with even more light as she flipped the switch-

Alphys stopped dead center and slowly turned towards them... and promptly freaked out, clutching the sides of her head.

"Oh. My god. I didn't expect you to show up so soon!" She squeaked as she jittered back and forth. "I haven't showered, I'm barely dressed, it's all messy, a-and- and-"

"yo alphs, it's fine." Sans encouraged quickly before she could build herself up into even more of a tizzy.

"S-Sans!"

Alphys took a deep breath as Sans looked off towards the wall of the room... where a large bag of dog food lay... that had no real reason to be there...

Alphys had gotten a hold of herself and smiled at the little demon nervously-

"Um, h-h-hiya." She cleared her throat. "I'm Dr. Alphys, m-maybe Sans said s-something a-about me before?" She was looking nervously between The Demon and Sans. "W-Well, p-probably n-not. I'm.. I'm n-not r-really th-that import-"

"You're the Royal Scientist." The Demon cut in.

"O-Oh!" Alphys exclaimed, cheeks turning red. "S-So he did! I... I ah.."

Sans felt a small pang of guilt. No, Sans had not said anything about Alphys...

"I-I'm not one of the 'bad guys'!" Alphys shouted out, suddenly, in alarm. Sans stepped closer to The Demon as Alphys continued to speak, something feeling off to him about all of this, but he couldn't place what. "A-Actually, well... I've been... um... observing? Um, observing y-you two.. through my console.." Sans felt himself growing paler- "s-since the human stepped out of the Ruins."

Even paler-

"h-have ya now?" Sans asked, his voice dry.

"Y-Yeah.. Th-Their fights... Their... friendships?" Alphys' voice arched weirdly saying that last one, her eyes revealing her uncertainty, but also curiosity as she eyed Sans. "E-e-everything."

Sans-

"I was going to stop them!" Alphys exclaimed, raising a hand, before he could make sense of anything- "But..." Alphys offered 'The Human' a new, nervous smile. "Watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them.. S-So now I want to help you! Like... S-Sans?"

There was that tone again... Guess if she had really been watching she'd had seen all his hostility towards 'The Human' along with everything else.

"I c-can easily u-use me kn-knowledge to g-guide you through Hotland!" Alphys stuttered. "I know a w-way right to Asgore's castle, n-no problem!"

There seemed to actually be a problem, though, by that expression she was wearing.

"Well..." Alphys chuckled a bit. "Actually..."

"alphs..?" Sans started suspiciously.

"Y-you know how I m-made Mettaton, right?" Alphys turned to 'The Human' again quickly. "He was originally just for entertainment, you know, uh, like a robotic TV star or... s-something." She was jittering nervously again. "R-Recently th-though...?"

"alphs." Sans stated again.

'The Human' was looking between the two old friends strangely. Almost... in concern as they glances at Sans and then at Alphys... It was really good acting for someone whose been through this who knows how many times- No... No... It was genuine. Real concern. Concern that Alphys could interpret as just them not following along in the conversation, but Sans knew better.. It put that uneasy feeling he had on even more alert-

"L-look..." Alphys continued. "I a-added... uh... You could say... u-um... Anti... anti-human combat features?" The red eyes were firm as they stared down Alphys. The scientist pulled at her collar. "O-Of c-course, when I s-saw you coming, I immediately d-decided..." Alphys gulped and squeaked out the ending- "I have to remove those features."

Sans chuckled.

"well, that seems like a good idea, doc." He agreed. Alphys chuckled back.

"Y-yeah." She began, "Unfortunately, I m-may have.. m-made a.. teensy mistake... while doing it?"

"uh... what kind of mistake?" Alphys was laughing a bit again.

"Well, y-you see now... now he's sort of a, um, u-unstoppable.. killing machine? W-With.. a thirst for human blood?"

Wait... what?

"Hopefully we won't run into him th-though!"

If this was a script of a Mettaton movie... this would be the exact moment where the robot would burst in. Probably though a wall. After a brief pause like this. Dramatic build-

The lab shook.

The light in Sans' eyes went out.

The building shook again.

"D-Did you h-hear something?" Alphys managed to get out, trying to play it straight, but sweating as she glanced Sans' way.

There were several more shakes and Sans stared at Alphys... Knowingly.

She was trying to play 'The Human'...

"Oh no.." Alphys droned.

There was a dramatic bright light-

"OOOHH YES!" A voice declared. Alphys was bouncing nervously, looking towards the source of the voice. 'The Human' looked towards Sans quickly and the movement caught his attention.

[Nervous.] They signed while Alphys wasn't looking. Sans raised a brow. [More], they conceded.

Sans didn't underst-

"WELCOME, BEAUTIES...!"

There was a drum roll before the spotlight from before flashed on, shining on the robot that had, as expected, busted through the wall.

"… TO TODAY'S QUIZ SHOW!"

As a skeleton who prided himself on conjuring objects (namely whoopee cushions) out of nowhere, he had to admit he was fairly impressed by the light displays that were descending from the ceiling and the confetti raining down. He would have been more impressed if he hadn't known Alphys had helped plan everything.

He had to wonder how many more events 'The Human' would encounter as they went along…

"OH BOY! I CAN ALREADY TELL IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT SHOW!"

Sans knew it as well. He could tell by how 'The Human' was trying to maintain an extremely blank, unimpressed expression as confetti rained down directly onto their head. He could tell by how they were failing. There was a small fire starting to brim just behind those red eyes….

A part of Sans still felt the need to hold back, that this was what they wanted, that he was indulging them, but the majority of him... let that part go... At least for just a moment, just a bit... Along with all his other uneasiness and worries and confusion... Because he could already tell...

This was going to be _better_ than the Tem Village…

And after all that had happened since then...

He felt like he really needed that.

... Just this once...

"EVERYONE GIVE A BIG HAND FOR OUR WONDERFUL CONTESTANT!"

Sans lifted his hands and clapped along. 'The Human' turned towards him, their eyes crying hatred.

[idea] Sans signed before pointing towards them.

This had been their idea...

That just made their genuine annoyance that much more hilarious.

"NEVER PLAYED BEFORE, GORGEOUS?" Mettaton was asking as 'The Human' turned back towards him. They smiled a bit (really should say snarled) and shook their head to say they hadn't.

Lies.

"NO PROBLEM! IT'S SIMPLE! THERE'S ONLY ONE RULE."

"ANSWER CORRECTLY…"

"OR YOU DIE!"

The Red Soul erupted from their chest with a burst of light. Sans took a few steps back into the darkness and watched expectantly as Mettaton 'attacked'. Alphys stood nervously fidgeting in her lab coat. She caught Sans' gaze briefly and Sans lifted his fingers to his 'lips' and mockingly dragged them across.

Sealed.

Sans could see the relief wash over her but it was only for a moment before she turned nervously back to 'The Human' and the 'Killer Robot'- And Sans understood what 'The Human' had meant by Alphys being even more nervous than usual... He directed his attention back to the 'Fight'.. From where he stood he could see 'The Human's' actions.

[Check]

It's more a formality at this point than actually useful-

*METTATON 10 ATK 999 DEF

"LET'S START WITH AN EASY ONE!" The robot exclaimed.

 _What's the prize for answering correctly?_

Alphys was mimicking the correct answer's letter frantically.. And Sans had to wonder... if Alphys would remember Hands as well... But... Perhaps that was just hopeful thinking. Sans didn't think Papyrus did... then again... 'The Human' hadn't used it around his brother..

"DON'T 'COUNT' ON YOUR VICTORY…" Mettaton exclaimed a few questions later, he was pulling out a jar-

 _How many flies are in this jar?_

A pun!

 _Would you smooch a ghost?_

It seemed even Alphys didn't have a response to this.

 _Heck Yeah!_

"GREAT ANSWER! I LOVE IT!"

Sans was enjoying every frustrated second of this.

 _In the dating simulation video game "Mew Mew Kissy Cutie" what is Mew Mew's favorite food?_

"OH! OH! I KNOW THAT ONE!" Alphys shouted, raising her hand as she practically jumped in excitement. "IT'S SNAIL ICE CREAM! IN THE FOURTH CHAPTER EVERYONE GOES TO THE BEACH! AND SHE BUYS ICE CREAM FOR ALL OF HER FRIENDS! BUT IT'S SNAIL FLAVOR AND SHE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS IT! IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE GAME BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY POWERFUL message about friendship and..."

All three people in the room were staring at her.

"ALPHYS. ALPHYS. ALPHYS." The robot scolded. "YOU AREN'T HELPING OUR CONTESTANT, ARE YOU?" Alphys was shaking her head quickly. "OOOOOOHH! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME." Alphys was cringing nervously. "I'LL ASK A QUESTION… YOU'LL BE SURE TO KNOW THAT ANSWER TOO!"

Alphys was already covering her face as the question appeared.

 _Who does Dr. Alphys have a crush on?_

Even Sans knew the answer to this one…

Alphys was waving her arms frantically, silently pleading with 'The Human' to just… not answer. 'The Human' was smiling.

The blatantly correct choice…

Undyne.

Alphys let out a loud shriek and covered her entire face as she went red.

"SEE, ALPHYS? I TOLD YOU IT WAS OBVIOUS. EVEN THE HUMAN FIGURED IT OUT." The robot turned back to the human. "YES. SHE SCRAWLS HER NAME IN THE MARGINS OF HER NOTES. SHE NAMES PROGRAMMING VARIABLES AFTER HER. SHE EVEN WRITES STORIES OF THEM TOGETHER… SHARING A DOMESTIC LIFE. PROBABLITY OF A CRUSH 101 PERCENT. MARGIN OF ERROR ONE PERCENT."

That was totally not how math worked… Sans would know. But if he was the one looking it over, he would have had to 150% agree.

The robot was sliding over to the good doctor.

"WELL. WELL. WELL. WITH DOCTOR ALPHYS HELPING YOU… THE SHOW HAS NO DRAMATIC TENSION!"

No. But it had still been hilarious.

"WE CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS! BUT. BUT! THIS WAS JUST THE PILOT EPISODE!"

"NEXT UP, MORE DRAMA!"

"MORE ROMANCE!"

"MORE BLOODSHED!"

Were they all not the same thing to him?

"UNTIL NEXT TIME, DARLINGS…!"

The lights came back on after Mettaton had disappeared and Alphys turned back to 'The Human' and Sans expectantly, sweating profusely.

"W-Well that was certainly something."

"something alright." Sans agreed.

"He w-wasn't s-supposed to ask that l-last question…" She admitted. Sans shrugged.

"i'm sure she wasn't watching." Sans assured her. Alphys was blushing again. He turned to 'The Human'. "welp, ready to keep moving?"

"W-wait!" Alphys exclaimed. "L-let me give you my ph-phone number!" She was lifting a hand out to 'The Human' expectantly. "Th-then… m-maybe… If you need help! I… I could-" Alphys shrieked at the sight of the phone 'The Human' was trying to hand her. "Wh… Where'd you get that phone?! It's ANCIENT!"

"My mom." They said without missing a bleat.

"I-It doesn't even have texting.." Alphys looked at it, thinking. "W-Wait here a moment." Sans turned towards 'The Human' as Alphys walked away.

"Your mom?" He asked in disbelief. They shrugged.

"What?" Their expression asked of him.

Alphys came rushing back.

"Here, I upgraded it for you!" She seemed genuinely proud of herself. "It can do texting, items, it's got a key chain… I even signed you up for the underground's No. 1 social network!" She was blushing once again. "Now we're officially friends!"

There was that nervous laugh again.

And an awkward pause...

"I-I'm going to the bathroom!" Alphys shouted sudden;y as she rushed through the door.

If… Sans remembered correctly, and he wasn't sure that he did, that was not the bathroom… He just wasn't sure what it actually led to anymore.

'The Human' was turning towards him.

"I'm blocking you…" They said, entirely serious as they stepped towards the fridge.

"w-wait, what? i haven't even sent the first pun!" They opened the refrigerator and pulled out a package of instant noodles.

"Call it a preemptive strike." They reasoned.

"uh, what are you doing?"

"Well she said she wanted to help me." They answered in fake innocence. They stepped over to the bag of dog food-

The bag of instant noodles dropped to the floor as they took a sharp step back away from the bag, their eyes wide and their hands covering their mouth in horror. There was a moment where they stared at the bag, their chest noticeably moving up and down more quickly than usual, and where Sans waited expectantly, tense and uncertain.

"um, forget something?" He asked. The wide, red eyes flickered towards him and then quickly past him towards the door Alphys had exited through. He could see the thoughts racing away in their mind at a million miles per second. Slowly, the red eyes started to narrow and the sound of laughter began to break through their hands. The hands lowered and their smile was a cringe as they continued to laugh.

Sans wanted to take a step away from them, something unsettling crawling over him as the sound grated into him.

"um, kid..?"

"I'm such an idiot!" They said finally through their laughter. Their voice implied amusement, but their face said otherwise. Their eyes closed as they tilted their head back and continued to laugh. "Dogs! Dogs!" One arm was wrapping around their waist and another was hovering near their mouth again, as if they'd heard the funniest joke! Nothing about this was funny…

He almost wanted to kill them, again, just to make it stop.

They were shaking their head as they took in large breaths. They breathed out finally and began to turn around. They stopped as they finally stared at the screen. A small fire was beginning to burn in the red eyes again as they breathed with growing anger as they watched "their" image.

"I really am an idiot..." Sans had to admit they were scaring him a bit. He had no idea what was going on this time. They lowered their head and stormed back towards the front door.

"uh, kid, hotland is thatta way." He called.

"There's something I have to do…" They mumbled.

Um. Okay… He just didn't get them. He didn't. They seemed to always go from one extreme to the other. He could never predict when.

He stared at the "bathroom" door curiously for another moment. When he finally went after 'The Human', they were turning down the path towards the River Person. He quickly teleported ahead. They didn't look at him as he stepped in beside them as they approached the riverbed.

"Tra la la. I am the riverman. Or am I the riverwoman…? It doesn't really matter. I love to ride in my boat. Would you care to join me?" They nodded. "Where will we go today?"

"Waterfall, please." They said as they stepped on. Sans followed. They frowned at him but didn't say anything as they turned their attention back to the River Person.

"Then we're off…" The boat coursed through the water. "Tra la la. The angel is coming… Tra la la." The human looked out across the water with a dark expression.

No. They weren't.

"Come again, anytime… Tra la la."

'The Human' was walking quickly, ignoring him the whole way, like usual. They were soon back at the SAVE point they had used after leaving Napstablook's… They paused and stared at their outstretched hand, seeming to hesitate. Finally their expression hardened and they pressed their hand out with true resolve. Sans had to nearly frown though, once again there was no soft mantra under their breath.

They lifted their head high and let out a loud puff of air as they turned in the direction of Undyne's hou- Wait, what were they doing?! They'd just escaped Undyne, Sans didn't think she was ready for any buddy-buddy action- Not with them..

Even with Papyrus' help… Who was standing in Undyne's front yard waiting excitedly? Sans stopped following 'The Human' and teleported back into the shadows.

What the heck was going on here?

"OHO! THE HUMAN ARRIVES! ARE YOU READY TO HANG OUT WITH UNDYNE?"

Wait, when had this even been planned?! He'd known Papyrus had been adamant about 'The Human' hanging out with Undyne but for him to just be waiting here for them? 'The Human' hadn't called to set this up that Sans had seen, what-

"I HAVE A PLAN TO MAKE YOU TWO GREAT FRIENDS!"

'The Human' simply nodded, but they also seemed.. distracted.. half there.. And angry. Definitely angry. Papyrus hesitated, noticing it as well, but took a large breath and began to turn around.

"OKAY! STAND BEHIND ME!" But 'The Human' suddenly reached out and grasped his gloved hand. Papyrus turned back to them expectantly. "YES, HUMAN?"

There was a flash of pain in the red eyes.

"I..." They released Papyrus' hand and took a step back. "I just don't have a gift for her..." They said, looking down. It's not what they set out to say, but Papyrus was lighting up like a bulb.

"OH! I HAVE JUST THE THING!" He said, bringing out a gold bone wrapped in a big red how. "JUST MAKE SURE TO GIVE HER THIS! SHE LOVES THESE!" 'The Human' nodded slowly and Papyrus began to turn back around-

"Wait!" They called this time as they reached back out for him, changing their mind once again. Papyrus obeyed, looking down at them under his arm that was still lifted to knock on the door. "I..."

Again... they hesitated... but then they forced a lying smile.

"I just want to thank you for helping me." They told him, and there was a trace of honesty to their voice. "... I wouldn't have made it this far without you..."

Sans hadn't thought Papyrus could have gotten any brighter but he should have known to never underestimate Papyrus' enthusiasm.

"OH OF COURSE!" Papyrus exclaimed, his arm lowering. 'The Human' looked away, uncomfortable. Papyrus immediately noticed this and bent down onto one knee, placing a hand on their shoulder. "IT'S GOING TO BE ALRIGHT."

The promise is soft and gentle...

The Human kept their face turned away for another moment but then finally... the red eyes met Papyrus' gaze. They lifted their arms and Papyrus jumped in surprise as The Human hugged him. Papyrus then smiled and quickly obliged them. His long arms wrapped around them and they buried their face briefly into the scarf around his neck... much like they had done when they had first manipulated him into sparing them...

What was their plan this time? Sans wasn't really getting it... This didn't have any purpose...

But maybe that was because-

Papyrus and 'The Human' were separating again and Sans had to sigh softly to himself.

"READY TO MAKE A NEW FRIEND?" Papyrus asked them. 'The Human' stared at the front door with the same building resolve, the same determination, that they had SAVEd with... They nodded finally, their fingers coiling together tightly into fists.

"I'm ready."

"OKAY!" Papyrus turned towards the door and knocked as 'The Human' stood behind him.

"Hi, Papyrus!" Undyne said as the door opened. "Ready for your extra-private, one-on-one training?"

"YOU BET I AM! AND I BROUGHT A FRIEND!"

That was definitely not the meaning of 'one-on-one'.

Papyrus stepped to the side and Sans watched expectantly.

"Hi, I don't think we've…" Undyne's teeth gritted together dangerously as she stared spears into 'The Human'.

She glanced at Papyrus.

Papyrus was smiling but Sans could tell that he was holding his breath.

Undyne stared back at 'The Human'.

"Why don't. You two. Come in?" Papyrus was elated. Undyne stepped back into the house, and Papyrus bounded inside.

Man, Sans wished he could get in on this. Both a frustrated human and Undyne-

No... Nevermind. He was glad that he couldn't. Especially not with how Undyne was feeling about him recently on top of it..

Sans watched 'The Human' as they entered into the house behind his brother... He lingered.. hesitant to leave, but at the same time... If he couldn't trust his brother with Undyne? Who could he trust? Undyne could take care of them if things got out of hand.

Sans forced his shoulders to relax... and as he did... his exhaustion hit him like a ton of bricks... He desperately... desperately... needed a nap... Maybe something to eat...

But despite his best reassurances... he couldn't bring himself to actually leave.

Sans teleported to the far side of the house and settled down into the grass...

Just a few minutes... that's all... he... asked...

... what's the worst that could go wrong...?


	12. Spontaneous Combustion

_"oh…."_

* * *

Undyne's house was on fire.

It's the smell of smoke that wakes him.

It lulls him back to reality. At first its soft and pleasant, then it grows. And grows. It's suffocating. When Sans coughs himself awake, opens his eye sockets and looks up at the house he's leaning against.. There's smoke pouring out everywhere-

In hindsight, Sans should have seen something like this coming. It was Undyne, 'The Human' Demon, and Papyrus in a house together, 'cooking'. It would have been more of a surprise if the house hadn't caught fire, but that doesn't curb Sans' panic any.

"paps-"

Sans teleported quickly to towards the entrance, his eyes darting around looking for the three of them, but Undyne's loud shout told him exactly where they were.

They're in the house, still inside the house-!

Sans rushed over to the door but it's locked from the inside, he ran over to the side window- only to find the glass had already been busted out- He dared to look inside, the flames hot and uncomfortable as he managed to keep a safe distance-

"papyrus! undyne!" Sans called. The flames were too high. They had to get out of there, it couldn't be safe-!

" **SANS**!" The feeling in Sans' gut hollowed out at the sound of Undyne's scream. It was shrill, serious-

Sans caught sight of movement amongst the flames and he heard coughing. Sans took a deep breath... and teleported through the raging inferno-

He landed nearly on top of them.

"Sans..." Undyne coughed. She had The Human draped over her shoulder but she was struggling to stand. She was too hot and sweating miserably. And that cough- But-

"where's paps?!" Sans demanded as he grabbed her free shoulder. She was shaking her head.

"Left." Relieved, Sans teleported the three of them out of there as quick as he could-

Undyne's coughs were violent as Sans released her. She let 'The Human' fall to the ground, limp, and she fell back onto her elbows, taking in large gulps.

" **WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THEM?**!" She finally screamed. Sans leaned in over them.

"besides the fact they're unconscious?" He asked through his own coughs, but then he lifted his head quick- "wait, did they try to hurt you?" His sockets flashed dangerously at the thought. He'd left them alone for half an hour and-!

"HURT **ME**?!" Undyne raged as she tried to lean forward. "THEY TRIED TO KILL THEMSELF!"

Sans...

"w-what..?" He managed finally. Undyne didn't respond, only kept coughing. "are you sure that's..." Since the beginning, they'd been doing everything in their power Not to die. That was the point of all of this. What Undyne was saying made no sense- "you sure you didn't misinterpret-"

"THEY ASKED ME TO TAKE THEIR SOUL!" Undyne raged. She was staring at the unconscious 'Human' now. Sans could see in her eye that she was genuinely shaken. Sans had to stare, too. It made no sense. No sense at all! But he had never seen Undyne like this before- "They... They said..."

Undyne closed her eye and coughed again, collapsing farther towards the ground. The smoke was everywhere around them in the air-

"alright, alright, let's just get you outta here.." Sans said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder again and reaching for 'The Human's' shirt. Undyne's eye widened and she opened her mouth to protest but it was too late-

They were already gone-

"UGH!" Undyne complained as they reached the other side of the shortcut a millisecond later. The protest doesn't last though as her scales touch the cool, tiled floor. She melts into it gladly, eye closing. At another time, Sans would have chuckled, but all of this had everything upside down.

"O-O-Oh my! U-Undyne! H-Human!" Alphys was immediately on top of them, a ball of jitters as she danced back and forth. "Thank goodness! I was s-so afraid! I'll g-get water!" Undyne was breathing out heavily as she continued to relax on the ground.

"What... the hell..." She repeated hoarsely as she let the cold tiles comfort her aching scales.

Sans turned his attention back to the kid who lay limply against his arms. They were definitely breathing, but it was coming out with a funny noise. No noticeable burns that he could tell, just an ashy, dirty face, but other than that... and a goose-egg forming on their forehead... they appeared relatively uninjured.

"H-Here!" Alphys said rushing back, a recycled milk jug full of water in her hands. Undyne was sitting up, her eyes drooping tiredly as she accepted the just. "I'll get a g-glass."

Undyne was already gulping it down.

"O-Oh.." Alphys laughed, for real this time. "I g-guess that works."

Alphys turned to Sans, to 'The Human', worry returning to her expression, but before she could say anything Undyne was bursting out again-

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" She demanded now, nearly choking on water. Alphys jumped and turned back, only to turn again, following the warrior's furious, upward gaze. Alphys yelped.

"O-Oh, no, that's n-nothing-"

"THE HUMAN'S ON THE SCREEN!"

"I-"

"guys."

The two women turned their attention back to Sans with a start. While his voice hadn't exactly risen, it had still been... different. An authority that didn't fit.

"let's get the kid into bed or something before we start any info dumps, 'kay?" Alphys was nodding frantically, not daring to look back at Undyne who still looked enraged.

"R-Right. Right." Alphys headed towards the escalators. "Up here!"

Undyne watched Sans, her expression turning more somber as he began to lift 'The Human' up into his arms, and disappeared up the loft.

They aren't heavy.. not at all... Their head rested against Sans' chest, those red eyes closed- The pang is there, it hurts, and Sans can't look at them anymore.

Alphys dashed over to the box-like object and in an instant a bed was being pulled out.

"H-Here." She called, waving a hand for him to come over. Sans lowered the kid as gently as possible onto the bed and took a step back. With that new angle, Sans forced himself to look over them again one more time, just in case there was anything he missed but came up with nothing... nothing but that hurt in his chest.

They just looked... particularly small and broken on the bed with their breathing coming out still sounding strange... He hoped that wasn't serious. And hopefully when they woke up, hopefully soon, any food found heal them. Those Nice Creams were good for the throat, after all- But they weren't awake to cough... wasn't coughing important when you've breathed in something nasty like smoke? Undyne had been coughing up a storm- Even skeletons coughed when it got bad-

"I-I don't know wh-what more I c-can do!" Alphys chimed in, as if having the same line of thoughts he was, but probably more frantic. "I-I'm not that k-kind of d-doctor! E-Especially not a.. a hu-human d-doctor!" Sans gave her a sympathetic smile.

"it's okay, alphs." He assured. "i'm sure they just need some rest."

"B-But.." Sans put his hand on her shoulder.

"let's get back to undyne, okay?"

"I... O-Okay." Alphys finally agreed, but she still looked down at 'The Human' nervously. "Sh-Should we tuck- put-put the blanket over them?"

"uuuuhh." Alphys began to pull the covers out from beneath them, fumbling all the way, and Sans sighed. He leaned over the human and began to help with more success, draping the warm fabric over them. 'The Human' moaned and coughed, making Sans jerk his fingers back as their head turned to the side on the pillow though their eyes remained closed. They coughed, and then coughed again, a few more times. Then it was over, their eyes still closed and their breathing still coming out peculiar but sounding at least a bit better than it had. Sans relaxed and stood up straight. "there. all tucked in and cozy."

Alphys was still fidgeting with her fingers and biting her lip. Sans sighed again.

"come on." Sans said gently. "she won't stay upset."

Alphys obeyed his guiding hands but Sans could tell she was still scared, both for 'The Human' but also herself- Sans rode the escalator down with her.

Undyne had finished the jug of water and was breathing a lot better, too, but still staring fiercely at the sight of the kid sleeping motionlessly on the bed being displayed on the huge monitor.

Sans and Alphys were next to her again and he could feel the nervousness physically radiating off of Alphys.

"What is this?" Undyne asked lowly.

"U-Undyne.."

"You were watching that punk the whole time and didn't even contact me?!" The Captain demanded, a sound of betrayal in her voice as she looked at Alphys.

"T-They had-hadn't hurt a-any- anyone. I w-would have.. I would have called! I-If they h-had done s-something. Besides! S-Sans h-had been th-there the whole time! Watching! H-He would h-have st-stopped them! If actually g-got to that." Alphys stuttered out quickly, her face red in shame. "I-I'm sorry. You, you're right! I sh-should have…" She was stumbling over herself despite standing in place. But Undyne seemed to have softened a bit.

"It's okay now, Alphys." She said, seeming defeated. But then- "Wait, what do you MEAN Sans was watching the whole time?!"

Sans pretended to stand back casually and shrugged.

On the inside, though, he was feeling guiltier than Alphys was. And a bit surprised as well. Because while Alphys had believed in him to stop them if it had come down to it, he knew that he wouldn't have in the beginning. He knew that in times gone by, times that had no longer happened but also very much had... Sans knew that he hadn't stopped them. The only reason this time was any different was because 'The Human' had been loosing power, and he had noticed. It was different because what he did actually meant something this time around.

Undyne and Alphys can't know any of that though. Undyne is having a hard enough time dealing with the fact that he had been watching at all. She didn't really know him compared to how well she knew Papyrus. Honestly, 'lazybones' and 'jokester' was probably the only impression he had ever made on her besides 'loves his brother more than anything' but that was the impression he tended to give everybody. They didn't need to know anything else.

Undyne was still eyeing him when something clicked inside her head.

"BUT THAT MEANS YOU ACTUALLY DID INTERFERE WITH OUR FIGHT ON PURPOSE!" She raged from her place on the ground. Sans just shrugged again.

"eh." He offered as if it was nothing. There was a brief moment where he was sure Undyne was going to explode again but then she let out a loud sigh as she relaxed and lowered her head.

"But I guess in the long run that it all worked out for the best." She conceded. "They're not that bad of a kid." Sans' brow furrowed now and his expression grew serious. Now that Undyne seemed calmer:

"what happened between the two of you exactly?" The question seemed to rile Undyne back up and she gave out a frustrated, bitter huff as she stared spears into the floor, appearing unsettled once again. "okay." Sans said, cutting her off before she could say anything, already knowing he wouldn't get it all if she started from the middle. "i know paps and the kid came over for a hang out. what happened? before the flames started."

"Well. Papyrus left and I was determined to show him I could be friends with the brat, that it would be easy. I was certain they had just come to mock me, and they even said so. But there was no WAY I was getting shown up by some punk like them! So I made them tea…."

 _Undyne had sat down on the opposite side of the table after placing the tea down in front of them. The human had hesitated a moment after Undyne had warned them about the temperature. To her surprise, they had then pulled out the same Nice Cream they had offered her earlier and handed it her way before pulling one out for themself._

"… I thought it was going pretty good at first… But as I talked to them they just kept getting quieter and quieter. They wouldn't look me in the eyes!"

"what were you talking to them about?" Sans asked.

"Huh? Oh. Asgore." Undyne continued. Sans' eyes flickered momentarily even as his face remained unmoving.

Asgore…

"what about Asgore?" Sans prodded, suspicious.

 _"You kind of remind me of him." Undyne had told them. The human had lowered their head as they had placed the cup of tea back down onto the spilt table. "You're both TOTAL weenies!" Undyne exclaimed, trying to get a response from them. Their face was masked over in darkness and it was putting Undyne off. They didn't react. "… sort of." Undyne conceded._

"you told them they reminded you of asgore?"

 _"Once, to prove I was the strongest, I tried to fight Asgore. Emphasis on the TRIED! I couldn't land a single blow on him! And worse, the whole time, he refused to fight back!"_

"YOU SAW OUR FIGHT!" Undyne yelled at him. "THEY JUST KEPT JUMPING AROUND! TAUNTING ME YET REFUSING TO ACTUALLY HIT ME!" Sans nodded. Yeah, he guessed he saw it. But he also knew that had been them acting like Frisk, well, mostly like Frisk, he was pretty sure the insults were all them. And they had admitted the spaghetti was their idea… An idea that had almost gotten them killed, but still…

 _"I was so humiliated…"_

"did you talk about anything else?"

"… like, uh, Papyrus." The human had grown tense, teeth digging into the inside of their bottom lip.

"and how did that go?"

 _"I mean, it's not that he's weak. He's actually pretty freaking tough! It's just that…"_

 _"He's too good." They finished for her and she looked up in surprise. It was the first thing they had said since they'd declared they would never be her friend. "He's too trusting. Too innocent and nice…. He would have done better to capture me from the beginning." Undyne was staring, somewhat sweating at how their tone continued to be hollow, and their bangs covered their eyes. "He's lucky I didn't rip him into smiling shreds." It was like they had taken the words straight out of Undyne's mouth. It sent a shiver down Undyne's spine._

"and?"

"And then I realized Papyrus had gotten out of his cooking lesson!" Undyne shouted. "So THEY had to have it instead!"

"and then you caught everything on fire."

"AND THEN WE CAUGHT EVERYTHING ON FIRE! FUHUHU!" Her enjoyment fell away instantly. "But I… I knew I had screwed up. Even before that."

 _"Envision these vegetables as your greatest enemy!" Undyne had ordered. The human had stepped over to the counter, a serious snarl on their face. "Now! Pound them to dust with your fists!" The human had cupped their hands together and had lifted their hands over their head. They smashed down violently onto one of the tomatoes. Their red eyes were ablaze… "YEAH! YEAH! Our hearts are uniting against these healthy ingredients!" They had glanced over towards Undyne, their gaze still hard and dangerous before turning to the other ingredients and continued with growing force. Undyne hesitated, as if she could feel the genuine murderous intent coming off of her cooking partner. "HEY! IT'S MY TURN!"_

Undyne seemed to be growing more and more fidgety as she continued to tell the story, her brow continuously furrowed as she scowled.

"I knew I couldn't keep it up after that, there wasn't any point. There was only one thing left to do."

 _"I can't force you to like me, human. Some people just don't get along with each other. I understand if you feel that way about me. And if we can't be friends… That's okay. Because… If we're not friends… THEN IT MEANS I CAN DESTROY YOU WITHOUT REGRET!"_

"um, i have noticed that the human failed to actually be destroyed."

"NOT FOR A LACK OF TRYING!" Undyne shouted.

 _"NOW COME ON! HIT ME WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT! NGAHHHHH!" Undyne was letting them make the first attack. The human had pulled out a notebook and something dark was falling over them, and it wasn't from the odd shapes the flames were making across the floor in flickering shadows. They brought the notebook down hard. Undyne was forced to stagger, the wind knocked out of her as the murderous intent pushed through her defense and she felt her HP drop. They were really serious! Good… It gave Undyne all the excuse she needed to bring them down. "IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN MANAGE?!" Undyne had taunted loudly, bringing up more spears. The human had hunched downward, a fierce and deadly expression on their face as they prepared to keep up their attack._

"so you fought?"

"Sort of… They…"

"U-Undyne, a-are y-you okay?" Alphys asked, having remained awkwardly silent throughout the tale.

"NO!" Undyne shouted. "They… I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED RIGHT AWAY!"

"noticed what?"

 _The HP she had lost was not as much as she had first thought… It was definitely going down but it was no way near the amount it should have been with that much intent behind it. After three hits, she really should have been near dust. It made no sense. Both fighters were panting now, unwilling to give it up and go outside. It was too hot. Too intense. They were both starting to cough. The human swung again and this time Undyne stood still, letting her defense fall, confused but suspicious. The intent threatened to rip through her HP, but just as Undyne had thought, it was muted. It was distant… Undyne's good eye flashed in realization._

 _"HEY!" She called as they stepped back. This was just like before! When they had taunted her to get her to attack. They were trying to rile her up into a fight. But unlike last time it wasn't to just wear Undyne down quickly. There was true intent behind it. It just wasn't towards Undyne._

Sans was staring at Undyne in complete disbelief.

"what… what did you do next?" He managed to ask.

"I CALLED THEM OUT ON IT, THAT'S WHAT!" Undyne continued.

 _"You need to take my Soul to Asgore." They said, not denying her accusations that they were getting her riled up on purpose, but confirming them. And even worse…_

"They… They wanted me to kill them." Undyne said, starting to shake slightly again. "All that murderous intent towards themself, and they wanted me to take their Soul to Asgore. As long as…"

 _"Just spare the rest of humanity! If there is another war, both humans and monsters will get hurt…"_

 _"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GETTING AT, PUNK?!"_

 _"Just take my Soul to Asgore!" They shouted back. Undyne was shaking her head. This was so messed up! "You said earlier that was the only way to redeem myself! Now take it!" They screamed as they swung their notebook once again. This time Undyne grabbed their wrist, knowing exactly what they were up to._

 _"YOU DON'T HAV-" They yanked back, but then tried to hit her with their other fist. "LISTEN HERE, YOU-"_

 _"NO YOU LISTEN!" They screamed back just as hotly, their face snapping up to glare at her. "You were right all along! My goody-two-shoes thing was just an act!" They were in her face, their teeth snarled. "I could kill everyone here!" They hit her again with their right fist, but Undyne refused to strike back, she knew what they were doing. They couldn't even take her HP down anymore, despite how they kept trying to hit her harder. They were so determined to die…! Determined to die there surrounded by flames that were growing way too hot and their skin sticky and the smoke too thick that it was hurting their eyes._

 _Undyne was scared…_

 _"If you really were that bad, you wouldn't be offering up your Soul like that!" Undyne countered. The human only screamed and shook their head as they tried to get the hand with the notebook free. Not that it would do them any good._

 _"YOU STUPID FISH!" They called. Undyne's anger spiked._

 _"YOU STUPID HUMAN!"_

 _The human was starting to hack up a lung and Undyne was starting to feel weighed down, she hadn't exactly recovered fully from their earlier fight to begin with. They had to get out of there._

 _But the human kept refusing to spare and Undyne refused to leave without them._

 _It was two stubborn people too stubborn for their own good._

"So I head-butted them!" Undyne declared. That explained the red bump on their forehead… and them being unconscious. He wondered for a second it he had to worry about them having a concussion on top of everything, but once he caught himself thinking about it, Sans was shaking his head again in disbelief. "But I was already too worn out, I couldn't really carry them through the flames, we're lucky you showed up when you did... You saved our lives!" She realized loudly.

"welp. had to make up for all those years of being useless." He told her. Somehow that didn't seem to sit well with Undyne as a response. She kept eying him uncertainly, as if she was struggling with rearranging her entire worldview. It had certainly been an eventful day for everyone. "i just... can't believe they would actually do that." He finished.

"That can't be t-true, Sans." Alphys said, her fingers together as she shook, surprised by her own voice as she stared at him. He stared at her in shock. "I-I-I mean... Y-you were always w-with them. W-watching..." She stuttered out. "E-even I saw... I mean... They were a-always so s-sad when n-nobody was looking. And h-hurt. Going against an im-impossible task, and you were always there hovering over them like some sort of villain or s-something-"

"wait. wait!" Sans jumped in, his hand raising as he gave her an expression of both shock and outrage. "i'm the villain? **_i'm_** the villain here?"

"No! N-no! Not like that! J-Just... it s-sort of l-looked that w-way, without d-dialogue! I-I'm sure y-you had g-good reasons t-to be angry at times! And y-you had b-been looking out for them, but, m-my p-point w-was... You had to have seen how d-down they are!" She stuttered endlessly. "R-right?" Sans had hunched back a bit into his hood, a grimace forming on his face.

Because, yes... He had. And he had been constantly on the verge of taking advantage of it.

But nobody would understand. Alphys and Undyne couldn't understand.

The human was the villain here, not Sans. The hu- That Demon had killed everyone, but how could anyone else know that? Understand that? Sans was alone in this.

But he couldn't deny that their actions right now had him confused...

... No... No, that wasn't true, Alphys was...

No, no. It couldn't be right though! It was an act! All an act! What Sans had seen, heard, felt, it's just forgotten memories or straight out lies, or... Or... But if... If they had done what Undyne said they had... If their intentions had been true, and she had felt it, like she said she did then...

If anyone was going to see through the lie besides Sans it would be Undyne..

And it was true, then... Actions spoke louder than words... didn't they?

But their actions..

They've killed everyone! They killed Fris-

Sans locked up, but he didn't get any more time to think it over, though, because it seemed that Undyne was trying to pick herself off of the ground. Undyne wavered for a second and both Sans and Alphys stepped closer, arms held out to her just in case. She cringed but then succeeded in keeping her balance.

"Man, I feel completely wiped out."

"you've looked worse." Sans offered. Undyne glared at him. "here, how bout you sit down in an actual chair and Alphys can get you more water while i go shopping for you and the kid?"

"Sounds like a plan." Alphys was bright red as Undyne draped her arm over her shoulder for support. "Hey," Undyne called to him before he could leave, "Get them some hot chocolate. Or... Just something chocolate, if you can find it." Sans raised a curious brow but didn't ask as he teleported towards Gerson's. He had a pretty good idea who the chocolate was really for, if three things of chocolate Nice Creams were anything to say about The Human's preferences...

Sans left the store with a pile of goodies and a smug look from Gerson when Sans told him ho the items were for. At least it'd gotten him a rare discount... There had been no chocolate... but Sans had asked.

Sans didn't teleport back to the lab, he hesitated as he stood in the shop doorway, the items making his hoodie a lot more weighted down than usual as his shoulders slumped.

The next thing Sans knew he was in his workshop...

He flicked on the light, his gaze immediately roaming past the covered machine and the scattered blue prints and towards... the drawers...

Sans set down his bag of bought goodies and made his way over, taking his sweet time but he wouldn't admit his hesitation to anyone out loud, he's barely admitting it to himself.. He wasn't hesitating... He's bracing himself.

Before there was confusion and hurt and betrayal.. This time he knows the truth of the pictures. Of the human; the red eyes and Frisk... Or at least.. part of the truth.. At least the grief..

The grief...

Sans took a deep breath and opened the drawer quickly just to get it over with. He's immediately assaulted with their bright, smiling face. The picture of them, Paps, and himself with that graduation cap. Sans... in a gradutation-

Sans pushed that picture away and picked up another; the kid with Papyrus and Undyne holding a large spoon over a dangerously boiling pot...

Another- the kid, The Old Lady.. just like she had been in...

Sans pulled out the picture from his pocket. The worn one he'd torn in two with the whole group together, the kid in the middle.

None of this is helping... It only hurts. That grief is back in full force... because it really is just like before.. He's never going to see them again. He doesn't have a single memory and neither does anyone else and they're just... gone... They're just gone and all he has is the feeling.. the chunk that is missing.

The tears in his sockets are building up and it's hard to breathe...

He just wished... He wished he could remember them, not just miss them. It's the worst of pains and all too familiar and he just wished!

His fingers were shaking as he held the two pieces of torn picture together, desperately wishing he could fix it. There was always the second, identical photo but he just wished-

The Demon had warned him... If he only knew what he was saying, doing, he wouldn't want...

And The Demon...

Sans wiped at his tears with his sleeve, trying to put himself back together even if he can't do that with the picture..

He just... doesn't know what he's doing..

The torn pieces of note are still there in the drawer and Sans had almost forgotten about it.

"even the worst person can change." Sans read to himself. A different Sans had wrote it, had believed it, this Sans isn't so sure...

After all, they were the reason monsters were down here again, after all, they were the reason Frisk wasn't!

But...

But...

This was why it had been a mistake... To give them that single inch was a mistake!

Because if he believes them, that Frisk dying had been a mistake, then he has to accept them destroying their lives on the surface had been a mistake! That they've meant everything they've said about trying to get them there, about wanting to work with Sans and everything they've been trying to do, he has to accept-

"no!" Sans said firmly, tightening his grip on the note, on the picture. "they still **killed** everyone."

Everyone.

 **Paps**.

Even after everything, after all they had together, they had still chosen to kill everyone! Again!

But...

Alphys' words were creeping up his back...

None of this had a simple answer... because he has seen it, just like she said... They aren't Frisk but he can't just say, welp, the other kid was just pure evil and needed dunked on.. He's seen it...

They're determination is breaking... but that's just their guilt..

They were sick... but not in the way Sans had always thought it... at least... not all the way Sans had thought...

They were desperate and grief stricken...

Sans knew just how far that could drive someone over the edge.

He glanced quickly over to the broken machine he had once nearly driven himself into oblivion trying to fix despite knowing the risk... Despite knowing it was a lost cause... That he'd never see them again...

Sans sighed heavily as he went to shut the drawer again but stopped when a splash of yellow caught his attention.

The picture was in the far back of the drawer, almost hidden beneath everything else, as if a previous him hadn't been sure he should have put the picture in the drawer to begin with but then had decided to anyways besides his better judgement. Hesitantly, Sans' fingers pulled the picture out and immediately froze solid, the lights in his sockets disappearing as he stared.

It was the kid, it was always the kid, and Sans was there too. The kid was beaming, as bright as they could be as they seemed to be laughing loudly, but the warmth their expression should have been giving off was destroyed by what they were holding tightly in their arms.

The yellow flower's head was tilted back, as if it was giving out the loudest groan, as the kid hugged it's flowerpot closer. It's expression was one of pure frustration as Sans stood to the side, offering an innocent shrug, but genuine smile, proud of himself at having gotten those reactions from the two of them.

The flower...

The _flower_...

The flower that was manipulating Papyrus, the flower that Sans was pretty sure had been in control of the RESETs before the kid had come around-

The flower-

There is a soul-crushing feeling, every single feeling he's had since the start of this- the hope, the sense of control and power- No... No, he should have known! Because of course... Of course!

It's like his world is imploding around him, as if every hope and dream just erupted on fire.

He's so stupid. Oh so very stupid!

This isn't over.

It's never going to be over!

The flower!

The kid is losing determination and he'd just stupidly assumed that would be it! They died, the RESETs would go along with them, but the flower... He's been so focused on the kid, so consumed in his hatred of them and the thought of stopping them, he had forgotten the fact that he's never had all the pieces- Because Sans had never known how all of this actually worked- How the flower could RESET one day and then the kid the next! But if the kid was gone! Lost the ability to LOAD, to SAVE... The ability to RESET-


End file.
